Shinagawa Station- (Actor Matsumoto Kōshirō V as) Banzui Chōbei c. 1852

Editor: This striking print, “Shinagawa Station - (Actor Matsumoto Kōshirō V as) Banzui Chōbei,” dates back to around 1852 and is the work of Utagawa Kunisada. The bold colours and the actor’s intense gaze immediately caught my eye. It has a dramatic, almost theatrical feel. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: You nailed it – theatrical! I feel I'm catching a fleeting, electric moment from a Kabuki performance. Notice how the woodblock technique itself – the deliberate lines and flat planes of color – contribute to that heightened, almost hyper-real quality. But look beyond the immediate spectacle, and ask yourself: What's with that backdrop—boats resting serenely? Does that contrast sharpen or deepen the impact? Editor: It's interesting you point out the boats. They create this sense of place – a port, perhaps. I guess it connects the drama of the actor to everyday life. Would you say this tension between drama and everyday scene is a recurring theme in Japanese prints? Curator: Good eye! Ukiyo-e often captured precisely that blend: the extraordinary within the ordinary, or vice-versa. Kunisada wasn’t just painting a portrait; he was immortalizing a moment, a character type. It’s as if the actor *is* the landscape, bold and unavoidable. Editor: So, it’s not just a snapshot of an actor, but a commentary on the world he inhabits, too? I’m definitely seeing so much more than I did at first glance. Thank you! Curator: Exactly! And it’s a reminder that even in the flashiest performances, there’s a connection to something deeper, something real. Always more to discover, isn’t there?