Actor Nakamura Tomiji(?) as a Woman with a Broken Mirror c. early 1750s

Curator: This print by Torii Kiyomitsu, likely depicting the actor Nakamura Tomiji as a woman with a broken mirror, presents us with an intriguing scene. Editor: It's immediately striking how the birds hovering above seem to mirror the subject's distress. What about the materiality of the print itself? Curator: Kiyomitsu, who lived from 1735 to 1785, was a key figure in the Torii school of printmaking. This work, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums, demonstrates the school's focus on representing the Kabuki theater world. The broken mirror, a prop, signifies misfortune, perhaps reflecting on the actor's portrayal of a woman facing adversity on the stage and in society. Editor: The layering of the kimono, the delicate rendering of the floral patterns—it speaks to a sophisticated textile tradition and the economic realities of Kabuki theater's patronage. How integral was the woodblock process to popularizing this art? Curator: Absolutely! The printmaking process democratized access to these images, circulating narratives of gender, performance, and social commentary far beyond the theater itself. Editor: Seeing how this connects labor, performance, and material culture gives me a richer perspective. Curator: Indeed, it reveals layers of social context within a single, dynamic image.