Arashi Rikan II als Danshichi Kurobei 1930 - 1935

Shunbaisai Hokuei made this woodblock print of Arashi Rikan II as Danshichi Kurobei, at some point between 1829 and 1837. You know, I love a good print, and what strikes me here is the layering, both of color and the narrative. The inky darkness up top gives way to the figure of the actor, poised, tense, with these graphic footprints below. Hokuei really commits to the physicality of the scene. You can almost feel the cold, wet ground squishing between your toes. Look at the way the red pops against the neutral tones of the actor’s skin and garment. Then there’s the sword, held so deliberately in his mouth. This single detail changes everything. I can’t help but think of Kara Walker and her silhouettes, playing with shadow and light to tell complex, layered stories. Both artists understand that sometimes, what's left unsaid speaks the loudest. Hokuei invites us to bring our own understanding, our own questions, to the narrative. And isn’t that what art is all about?