Kabuki Actor Arashi Ryūzō II as the Manservant Namihei (toraya Toramaru) 1795

Tōshūsai Sharaku created this woodblock print depicting the Kabuki actor Arashi Ryūzō II as the manservant Namihei. Theatre was one of the key public entertainments in Japan, with Kabuki plays drawing large crowds. This print would have been part of a series distributed to promote the play and its leading actors. Note the crests on the actor's clothing, these would have signalled his identity to a knowing public. The artist is especially interested in the expressive qualities of the actor's face, catching the precise moment of psychological intensity in the drama. Prints such as this one, known as Ukiyo-e, meaning ‘pictures of the floating world’, were often commercial projects, designed to appeal to a broad public. The names of the publisher and designer are displayed alongside that of the actor, acknowledging all those involved in its production. As a social historian, I’m always keen to know more about the cultural context surrounding such works. Details about the theatre, the actors involved, and the printmakers themselves can all be researched in contemporary records, giving us a richer picture of the work.