Kabuki Actor Onoe Kikugorō I 1740 - 1760

This woodblock print by Yamamoto Yoshinobu depicts Kabuki actor Onoe Kikugorō I in a private moment. Note the mirror, a symbol long associated with truth and reflection, here offering a glimpse into the actor's constructed persona. Consider the gourd, hanging from the arbor. Beyond its practical use, it echoes the vessel of transformation, a motif found in alchemical traditions and shamanistic practices across cultures. It is an object of containment and potentiality, holding within it the seeds of change. Like the actor transforming into his character, the gourd embodies the fluidity of identity. The actor gazes upward, perhaps contemplating the persona he embodies, or seeking inspiration from this symbol of transformation. Observe how the mirror and gourd intertwine—the reflected image, the hanging vessel—to hint at the cyclical nature of performance, life, and identity. It evokes a powerful, subconscious connection between the ephemeral nature of the stage and the enduring human quest for meaning.