The Actor Nakamura Nakazo I as Ippei (?) in the Play Koi Nyobo Somewake Tazuna (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Eighth Month, 1778 (?) c. 1778

This woodblock print, made by Katsukawa Shunko around 1778, depicts the actor Nakamura Nakazo I in a Kabuki play. Kabuki was, and remains, a highly stylized Japanese dance-drama, and prints like this one served as publicity, as records, and as souvenirs. Here, the actor embodies Ippei, a character in "Koi Nyobo Somewake Tazuna." The exaggerated expression, the tense posture, and the raised sword aren't just theatrics; they convey the inner turmoil of a character caught in a web of love, duty, and perhaps revenge. Kabuki often explores the tensions between social expectations and individual desires, and this print captures that emotional intensity. These prints, known as "ukiyo-e," weren't just about capturing a likeness; they were about capturing a moment of heightened emotion. Shunko elevates the actor's performance to an iconic image, forever preserving a fleeting moment of dramatic tension. The print is a reminder of the power of performance to explore and express the complexities of the human experience.