Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke AS SOGA NO GORO Edo period,

Curator: Katsukawa Shunsho's woodblock print depicts the actor Ichikawa Monnosuke in the role of Soga no Goro. Editor: There's a palpable sense of controlled tension in his posture and expression, like a coiled spring. What’s interesting about the material production of this artwork? Curator: Well, the print showcases the technical skill involved in Japanese woodblock printing – carefully carved blocks, precise layering of colors. It speaks to a sophisticated system of workshops and specialized labor. Editor: And that system, of course, was embedded within a broader socio-political context. Depictions of actors, like this one, weren't simply innocent entertainment. They were often entangled with issues of class, gender, and power. Consider the role of celebrity and the male gaze in relation to the male actor here. Curator: Indeed! These actor prints, called yakusha-e, were immensely popular among the merchant classes, serving as both commodities and emblems of cultural identity. That consumption of images reflects something deeper. Editor: Absolutely. This piece makes me wonder about the intersection of art, celebrity culture, and the construction of identity within a rigid social hierarchy. Curator: I am struck by the delicate layering of ink and paper in the finished print. Editor: It certainly invites us to consider the multiple layers of meaning embedded within a single image.