Actor Nakamura Matsue as the Spirit of the Mandarin Duck (Oshidori no seirei) c. 1760 - 1764

Curator: This is Torii Kiyomitsu’s “Actor Nakamura Matsue as the Spirit of the Mandarin Duck,” a Japanese woodblock print. It resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. I see a rather ethereal figure. What's your immediate take? Editor: The colours are muted yet lively. I sense a blend of melancholy and anticipation, typical of Ukiyo-e prints. Curator: Right, Ukiyo-e. Kiyomitsu was known for his depictions of actors, connecting the floating world to popular culture. This image captures Nakamura Matsue, a male actor, portraying a female spirit, blurring gender lines. Note the mandarin duck imagery woven into the robes – symbols of marital fidelity. Editor: It's fascinating how gender and performance were so intertwined within Edo period theatre. The samurai helmet on the floor hints at a narrative beyond the immediate imagery. Curator: Yes, the helmet alludes to a play, grounding the spiritual in a specific cultural moment. It’s the layered symbolism that I find compelling—the actor, the character, the cultural values all coalesce here. Editor: It brings into focus the performative aspects of identity within the constraints of Japanese society at the time. Food for thought. Curator: Indeed, a small but powerful glimpse into a complex world.