Nakamura Shikan as Sasaki Tôzaemon 1865 - 1868

Curator: This compelling woodblock print from the late Edo period, around 1865-1868, is titled "Nakamura Shikan as Sasaki Tōzaemon" and was created by Toyohara Kunichika. It resides here in the Rijksmuseum. What strikes you immediately? Editor: The stare. That defiant, almost unsettling gaze really grabs you. Then the striking colours, so vivid. What’s going on in this scene? Curator: He’s embodying Nakamura Shikan, a celebrated Kabuki actor, portraying the character Sasaki Tōzaemon. Kunichika was known for depicting popular actors of his day, creating a visual record of theatrical performances. The "ukiyo-e", or "floating world," genre captured transient beauty—fashion, theater, and fleeting moments of pleasure. In this case it appears to be specifically a theatrical performance, though. Editor: It feels loaded with meaning, and layered like memory itself. The colours feel almost symbolic: the deep indigo contrasting with that almost alarming red. And all those circular coin emblems on the robes - what is the psychology there? What do they say about power, wealth, or identity? Curator: Japanese prints are profoundly symbolic. These are stylized for the stage. This print would have held resonance for an audience familiar with the plays and the actors being depicted, referencing Japanese cultural identity and theatrical innovation, but those meanings may now be harder to recover. Kunichika often integrated such cultural references, framing individuals within networks of social and political power, embedding commentaries on class, performance, and the transience of fame within his portraits. Editor: The image gives us clues: the sword, the dramatic hand gesture – these all point to a particular moment of drama or crisis, which likely speaks to that specific social power. Thank you, what a fascinating look at not just the aesthetic culture of its time, but also at its political undercurrents, expressed via symbolism. Curator: Agreed. Through his sensitive portrayal, Kunichika reminds us how individual experiences always become entwined with wider narratives, both personal and societal.