The Actor Segawa Kikunojo III as Chokichi in the Play Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi, Performed at the Kiri Theater in the First Month, 1796 c. 1796

This print, made in 1796 by Katsukawa Shun'ei, depicts the actor Segawa Kikunojo III. It’s a woodblock print, a medium with a long history in Japan. The process begins with a drawing, which is then transferred to a block of wood, usually cherry. The artist or a specialist carver then cuts away the areas that will not be inked, leaving a raised surface. Ink is applied, and then paper is laid on the block and rubbed to transfer the image. For color prints like this one, a separate block is needed for each color, requiring careful registration. The materiality of the woodblock process is evident in the clean lines and flat planes of color. The print’s success depended on collaboration: the artist, the carver, and the printer. Each contributing their skills to the final product. Inexpensive to produce, prints like these allowed a wide audience to participate in the cultural life of the Kabuki theater. Shun’ei captures not just an image, but a moment in a complex system of production and consumption.