Actor Onoe Kikugorō 3rd Fighting Over Banner, part of a spring kyōka surimono pentaptych for the Sugawara Group led by Shakuyakutei Nagane c. 1822 - 1826

Editor: This is Utagawa Kunisada's "Actor Onoe Kikugoro III Fighting Over Banner," a woodblock print. The actor's costume is incredibly detailed. What strikes you most about its composition? Curator: The dynamism is undeniable. Note the swirling patterns, the tension between the figure and the flat background, and the implied movement. The artist uses line and color to create a compelling sense of drama. Do you perceive a hierarchy within these formal elements? Editor: I see how the lines of the costume lead my eye, but the face seems intentionally static, creating a contrast. Curator: Precisely. This tension reinforces the artificiality inherent in Kabuki theater. The form, therefore, becomes a commentary on the subject itself. I find that fascinating, don't you? Editor: Absolutely. I'll definitely look at Kunisada's work differently now.