Acteur met rode banier en sandalen 1847

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print of an actor with a red banner and sandals during the Edo period, a time when Japanese society was highly stratified. Woodblock prints, known as ukiyo-e, often depicted kabuki actors, portraying them as idealized figures, thus shaping public perceptions of masculinity and heroism. The actor's stern expression and the swords at his waist suggest a role of strength, duty, and honor, values highly esteemed in the samurai class that heavily influenced the theatrical arts. Kunisada's work reveals the complex ways gender and social status were performed and consumed in Japanese society. Kabuki theater itself was a space where gender roles were both reinforced and subverted, and it provided a lens through which the audience could contemplate their own identities and aspirations. Ultimately, this print captures a moment in time, reflecting both the artistic conventions and the societal values that shaped its creation.