The Actor Nakamura Riko I as Kiyotaki in the Play Oakinai Hiru ga Kojima, Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1784 c. 1784

Katsukawa Shunkō created this woodblock print depicting the actor Nakamura Riko I as Kiyotaki in 1784. Note the umbrella casting a shadow on the actor’s face, a powerful symbol in Japanese art, often representing protection and a barrier against the outside world. The umbrella motif is not unique to Japan. Across cultures, we see similar devices, from the parasols of ancient Egypt to the canopies held over religious figures in medieval Europe. The psychological need for shelter and protection, a universal human desire, is here manifested in the image of the umbrella. The image resonates with a sense of melancholy. It's a subtle visual cue that creates an emotional connection with the viewer, echoing feelings of vulnerability and the human desire for protection against life's tempests. The enduring presence of this form reveals the cyclical nature of human experience—shelter, protection, the human quest for peace. It is a symbol that reappears, transformed yet recognizable, throughout the history of art.