Tsuchi-guruma, from the series "Pictures of No Performances (Nogaku Zue)" 1898

Tsukioka Kôgyo created this woodblock print called "Tsuchi-guruma", part of the series "Pictures of No Performances", now at the Art Institute of Chicago. The artwork presents a theatrical composition with a focus on costume and character portrayal. The use of color, line, and space creates a dynamic interplay between the figures and the backdrop. Notice how the geometric patterns on the costumes and props offer a structured contrast to the softer, more organic lines of the figures. The artist masterfully uses flat planes of color and precise linework, a visual language which draws from traditional Japanese aesthetics. The print captures elements of the No theater, a highly stylized Japanese performance art. It destabilizes traditional scenic expectations by presenting key figures without a narrative context. In closing, Kôgyo’s attention to the graphic quality of the print—particularly the balance of positive and negative space—not only serves the aesthetic purpose of the artwork but also engages with larger questions about representation, performance, and the cultural codes embedded within Japanese art.