The Actors Matsumoto Hyozo as a courtesan and Nakagawa Hanzaburo as a young man c. 1700

This woodblock print of actors was created by Torii Kiyonobu I during a time when Japanese society was highly structured, with strict codes dictating roles and representation. Here, we see actors embodying specific social identities, both men, yet one is playing the role of a courtesan. This gets to some interesting gender play and asks us to think about how gender can be performed. The courtesan carries an umbrella, an obvious class marker. The attire and accoutrements signify not only status but also project idealized images of beauty and desire. This print gives us a glimpse into the fluid nature of identity on the stage. The emotional complexity and social commentary inherent in these images, reflect the lived experiences and cultural values of the audiences who engaged with them.