Busteportret van Segawa Kikunojo III 1796 - 1800

Utagawa Toyokuni I created this woodblock print of Segawa Kikunojo III during the Edo period, a time when Japan was undergoing significant social and cultural changes. Segawa Kikunojo III was an onnagata, a male actor who specialized in playing female roles in Kabuki theater. These actors were admired and often celebrated for their ability to embody feminine ideals. The artist captures the androgynous nature of the onnagata, who skillfully navigated gender roles, challenging rigid societal expectations. It is important to note that Kabuki theater and its performers existed within a complex social hierarchy and that the onnagata tradition, while celebrated, also reinforced certain stereotypes about femininity. The artwork serves as a window into the intricate dynamics of gender, performance, and identity in Edo-period Japan. The gaze of the onnagata draws us into a world where gender is a fluid performance.