The Actor Nakamura Tomijuro as a Stately Woman 1775 - 1795

This is Katsukawa Shunko’s woodblock print, showing actor Nakamura Tomijuro, held at The Met. The work, comprised of three vertical panels, uses line and color to express the dynamism of Kabuki theater. The composition symmetrically frames Nakamura in female roles on either side of his central male figure. Note the formal contrast between these panels. The prints on either side are demure, emphasizing vertical lines and muted tones. Yet the central panel explodes with diagonal tension, featuring a burst of color. This asymmetry destabilizes expectations; the central male figure breaks the harmony, a focal point drawing our eye and challenging traditional gender roles. Consider the shoes scattered across the panels: symbols of performance, identity, and movement. They disrupt the flat picture plane of traditional Japanese prints, suggesting a semiotic system where objects reflect layered cultural meanings. The print embodies Kabuki's challenge to fixed identities, inviting ongoing interpretations.