Poem by Kiyowara Motosuke- (Actor Ichikawa Danzō VI as) the Hunter Shibaroku Possibly 1852

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print titled "Poem by Kiyowara Motosuke" which depicts actor Ichikawa Danzō VI as the hunter Shibaroku. Kunisada was a leading printmaker in 19th-century Japan, known for his dynamic portraits of Kabuki actors, a popular and often subversive form of theater in the Edo period. Here, Kunisada captures Ichikawa Danzō VI in the role of Shibaroku, likely from a specific Kabuki play. The actor’s stern expression, combined with the poem inscribed above, creates a complex narrative layer. The poem’s themes of nature and longing juxtapose with the actor's portrayal of a hunter, hinting at the blurred lines between performance and identity. Kabuki allowed for the exploration, and sometimes critique, of social norms. Actors like Ichikawa Danzō VI were celebrities who, through their performances, engaged audiences with stories that often challenged traditional representations of gender, class, and power. The emotional depth in Kunisada’s print reflects the artist's desire to capture the essence of Kabuki's transformative power, making us consider how performance can both reflect and shape our understanding of ourselves and society.