Actor Bandō Mitsugorō VI as Yamato no Omitsu Possibly 1862 - 1864

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print titled "Actor Bandō Mitsugorō VI as Yamato no Omitsu." During the Edo period in Japan, actors held a peculiar position in society. Though popular, they were often viewed as outsiders. Kunisada’s print captures Bandō Mitsugorō VI, a male actor, in the female role of Yamato no Omitsu. This blending of gender roles was a common theatrical practice, reflecting the fluidity of gender identity in the cultural imagination. The print also reveals an emotional depth. Omitsu, holding a lantern by the water, seems lost in thought. The dark blues and the distant lights create a sense of melancholy and longing. Kunisada’s composition, with its careful attention to pattern and color, both maintains the traditional representations of beauty and develops a narrative that touches on themes of identity and emotion. This print invites us to consider the complex intersections of gender, performance, and social status. It reflects both the societal norms and the subtle challenges to those norms. The emotionality of the piece reminds us of the personal stories embedded within broader cultural practices.