The Actor Onoe Kikugoro as a Woman Standing by a Gate 1745 - 1765

Editor: Here we have "The Actor Onoe Kikugoro as a Woman Standing by a Gate," a woodblock print by Torii Kiyomasu I, sometime between 1745 and 1765. The figure is graceful but appears to be confined. What historical narratives inform your understanding of this Ukiyo-e piece? Curator: I’m drawn to consider this image within the broader context of Edo-period Japan, especially regarding the representation of gender and class. Ukiyo-e prints often depicted idealized versions of women, but were these images truly reflective of lived experiences, or did they reinforce societal expectations and limitations? How does the actor being a male playing a female part challenge or affirm social norms? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't thought about the implications of a male actor in drag. Is there a commentary here? Curator: Perhaps. Think about the societal restrictions placed on women during this period. Kabuki theatre, while seemingly offering a space for fluidity, also reinforced specific notions of femininity. The male actor embodies a culturally constructed image of a woman, potentially revealing anxieties and power dynamics embedded in those constructions. Can we read this print as a critique or a celebration? Editor: I see. So, we should also think about the gate in the background as a symbol of confinement and perhaps even social access for a Kabuki actor. Curator: Precisely! And how does the choice of portraying an actor rather than, say, a courtesan, further complicate our understanding of the relationship between art, performance, and social identity? Is this image participating in a subtle resistance to the era's social structures, or does it reaffirm them? Editor: It’s fascinating to think about this piece as more than just a beautiful print, but as a complex intersection of gender, class, and performance within a specific historical moment. Curator: Indeed. By examining these historical and social layers, we gain a deeper appreciation for the multiple narratives embedded within a seemingly simple image.