The Actor Nakamura Riko I as Moshio (?) in the Play Honda Yayoi Meoto Junrei (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Seventh Month, 1778 (?) c. 1778

Curator: Before us is Katsukawa Shunko’s print, “The Actor Nakamura Riko I as Moshio (?) in the Play Honda Yayoi Meoto Junrei (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Seventh Month, 1778 (?)”, dating from approximately 1778. It’s currently housed here at The Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: Wow, talk about a mouthful of a title. The instant mood I get is tranquility...almost mournful? All those muted earth tones—it's a soothing palette, but she looks...resigned. Curator: The composition is quite intriguing. Shunko employs a restrained palette and an emphasis on line to define the actor and her setting. Notice how the verticality of the bamboo blind behind her is echoed in her stance, lending a sense of formality. Editor: And that elaborate head wrap! It's like a sculptural element, juxtaposed with the loose folds of her kimono. You know, she looks so vulnerable, almost childlike, despite all that dramatic costuming. Is she perhaps, waiting? Curator: One could analyze her costuming as symbolic of her role. The actor, Nakamura Riko, plays Moshio in a play of that time, which tells the love story of two characters as the title reveals. It provides important contextual information of the actor and play that this particular portrait is of. The style also speaks to the Ukiyo-e tradition. Editor: Oh, so it’s like a snapshot of a fleeting moment. Still, beyond the historical and cultural context, that delicate hand gesture and those cast-down eyes evoke a palpable sense of longing. Are those clam shells? Curator: Indeed, the clam shells scattered at her feet are elements within the setting to complete the actor within her natural setting. These theatrical portraits capture an entire cultural phenomenon. Editor: These colors…this scene…it reminds me of watching theatre. So many little stories trapped inside that moment. Makes one yearn. Curator: I concur; the expressive formalism does imbue a strong atmosphere and emotion. It truly speaks for itself. Editor: The past made present, in a way. Very affecting.