Study of the actor Nakamura Kichiemon as Otokonosuke 1926

Curator: Let's discuss Shunsen Natori's woodblock print from 1926, titled "Study of the actor Nakamura Kichiemon as Otokonosuke." Editor: The bold, graphic quality hits you immediately. The striking makeup and dark background create a very dramatic effect. The lines seem so purposefully placed. Curator: Absolutely. What's fascinating is the interplay between the meticulous carving and printing processes, and the subject matter itself. This is not just a portrait, but a study of performance and representation. Consider how the actor's persona is constructed through layers of makeup and costume – commodities available thanks to specialized craftspeople. Editor: Right, and the formal aspects reinforce that artifice. The strong lines of the makeup, the graphic quality of the kimono pattern – they’re all designed to project a certain image to an audience. It’s all surface, but deliberately so. Note how the severity of the expression contrasts with the almost cartoonish exaggeration of the makeup. Curator: Indeed, and we mustn’t ignore the historical context. Prints like these were popular commodities, mass-produced and consumed by a growing urban audience hungry for images of their favorite performers. The entire ukiyo-e tradition reflects a complex dance between artistic expression and market demand. Editor: Thinking about the actor's gaze, its almost unsettling in its intensity, isn’t it? The slight asymmetry adds a sense of unease, contrasting against the geometric precision elsewhere. It hints at the emotions masked by the makeup, and creates tension in the composition. Curator: And each individual print in the series would be subtly unique, a product of the woodblock carver's skill, the quality of the paper, and even the humidity on the day of printing, each of which contributing nuances and individuality within a mass-produced form. Editor: Exactly. Despite the constraints, there’s room for nuance in the expression, revealing a certain artistry on behalf of both the actor and the printmaker. The print really balances a compelling theatrical image with raw human presence. Curator: It's a potent example of how the social conditions of art making can impact the end product and our ability to understand it, something a formal reading alone can miss. Editor: And I, in turn, will consider a shift in emphasis, one accounting for social production as being, ultimately, one element among many formal components and design choices, and still requiring the viewer's subjective input.