The Actor Iwai Hanshiro IV as Kitsune ga Saki Otama (?) in the Play Miyakodori Yayoi no Watashi (?), Performed at the Kiri Theater (?) in the Third Month, 1787 (?) c. 1787

Katsukawa Shunkō created this woodblock print in 1787, capturing the actor Iwai Hanshiro IV in the role of Kitsune ga Saki Otama. The motifs on the kimono are evocative, embedding the figure in a rich symbolic context. Notably, the fans scattered across the garment are not merely decorative; they signify a connection to the theatrical arts and the floating world of Edo-period Japan. We observe this symbol in earlier Greek theater where fans were used to express emotion and amplify gestures. These connections reveal how a simple object can become a potent carrier of cultural memory. The delicate blossoms, juxtaposed with the structured geometry of the kimono pattern, evoke a tension between nature and artifice, mirroring the actor's own transformation on stage. This tension is also reflected in the subtle interplay between the actor's expression and the symbolic weight of his attire, engaging viewers on a profound, subconscious level. Such cyclical progressions remind us that images are never truly static, and are instead constantly evolving.