The Actor Takinaka Utagawa (Kasen) c. 1741

Torii Kiyomasu II created this woodblock print of the actor Takinaka Utagawa sometime in the first half of the 18th century. At this time, in Japan, woodblock prints were becoming increasingly popular as a way to disseminate images of popular actors and other celebrities. This print is typical of the Torii school, which specialized in images of actors. The bold lines and bright colors are intended to create an eye-catching image that would have been sold to fans of the Kabuki theater. The actor is depicted in costume, holding a parasol, with a blossoming cherry tree in the background. Kabuki theater was a major cultural institution in Japan during the Edo period, but was subject to censorship by the ruling shogunate. The prints themselves were also regulated, which affected which subjects or styles would be seen. By studying the social and institutional context of this print, we can better understand its meaning and significance as a work of art. Research resources such as theater programs, censorship records, and biographical information about the artist and actor, can help us reconstruct the world in which this print was made and consumed.