Actor Sakakiyama Sangoro II as Michinaga's Daughter Princess Otae 1795

Editor: This woodblock print, made in 1795 by Tōshūsai Sharaku, portrays the actor Sakakiyama Sangoro II as Princess Otae. I'm struck by how much emotion is conveyed with such a limited palette; it feels incredibly poignant. What stands out to you? Curator: What captures my attention is how Sharaku is using the theater as a platform to critique the prevailing societal norms, especially around gender. We have a male actor embodying a princess, playing with the rigid structures of Edo-period society. Editor: I didn't even think about that. How did theatre and portraiture become tools for social commentary? Curator: Think about Kabuki theatre itself. While seemingly traditional, it was a space where marginalized voices found expression, albeit often through codified means. Sharaku's prints, by immortalizing these actors in specific roles, highlighted the constructed nature of identity itself. Who has the ability to reflect and project different facets of social identity? Editor: So the portrait isn't just a record of a performance, it’s challenging established views of roles. That robe with its many fans and designs… does that add more narrative? Curator: Precisely! Everything – the costume, the pose, even the severe expression on the actor's face – contributes to the story Sharaku wants to tell. The prints immortalized those challenges to gender and class for a broader, commoner public, offering an alternative vision of those societal norms. How can we connect this historical context with issues that are important now? Editor: It's amazing how something created centuries ago can still spark conversations about representation and social justice. I’ll definitely look at other Ukiyo-e works in a new light now! Curator: Absolutely. And that’s precisely the goal—to see art not as isolated objects, but as reflections of and active participants in the shaping of our understanding of self and the society around us.