The Actor Nakamura Takesaburo I in a female role c. 1718

This print, held at the Art Institute of Chicago, was made by Torii Kiyomasu II, who lived from 1706 to 1763. It depicts the actor Nakamura Takesaburo I in a female role. It’s a woodblock print, a process involving meticulously carving a design into a block of wood, applying ink, and then pressing paper against the block to transfer the image. The process is repeated for each color. In this case, subtle blocks of ochre, yellow, and persimmon push the image forward. The production of such prints was a highly collaborative enterprise, involving not only the artist who designed the image but also skilled woodblock carvers and printers. These artisans often worked under intense pressure to meet the demands of a growing urban audience hungry for images of popular actors, courtesans, and scenes from daily life. The print, therefore, embodies a tension between artistic expression and commercial imperatives, and its meaning lies not only in its aesthetic qualities but also in the labor and social context of its creation.