Acteurs uit het toneelstuk Satomi hakkenden. 1851 - 1853

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print of actors from the play Satomi Hakkenden during a time when Kabuki theatre was a major form of entertainment in Japan. Here, Kunisada captures the expressive faces and elaborate costumes of the actors. These elements were essential to Kabuki's appeal. The intensity of the actors’ expressions, combined with their stylized makeup, allowed audiences to easily identify characters and their emotional states. The artist blurs the line between reality and representation, inviting us to consider how identity is constructed through performance. The print is not just a record of a theatrical event; it's a cultural artifact reflecting the social values and artistic trends of the Edo period. Kunisada elevates these actors, whose roles often involved portraying a range of social identities, from warriors to peasants, thus shaping and reflecting societal norms. This artwork provides a glimpse into a world where art, entertainment, and identity were deeply intertwined, inviting us to reflect on the fluidity of identity, and its performance both on and off the stage.