The actor Onoe Kikugoro I as Watanabe no Tsuna c. 18th century

This woodblock print depicts the actor Onoe Kikugoro I as Watanabe no Tsuna, and was created by Torii Kiyomitsu in Japan during the mid-18th century. Japanese woodblock prints like this one are called ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating world," and captured the fashionable culture of the Edo period. Here, the actor is portrayed in character, carrying two swords and wearing a patterned kimono with an obi tied at the waist. Kiyomitsu, who was part of a family lineage of artists, specialized in depicting actors from the Kabuki theater. By focusing on this single figure, the artist draws attention to the performance of identity. In Kabuki theater, actors often played with gender roles, and cross-dressing was common. This print then, becomes not just a portrait, but also a commentary on gender, performance, and the fluidity of identity in popular culture. Such prints were often made for the merchant class, who sought to emulate the fashions and lifestyles of the actors they saw on stage. As a result, the prints offer insight into the intersection of art, commerce, and the construction of identity.