Actor Bando Mitsugoro as a Komuso 

Curator: This is Utagawa Kuniyasu’s “Actor Bando Mitsugoro as a Komuso,” a Japanese woodblock print held at the Harvard Art Museums. It captures a Kabuki actor in costume. Editor: It’s quite striking. I’m immediately drawn to the tension between the elaborate costume and the actor’s stoic expression. Curator: The actor's attire signifies the Komuso, mendicant monks known for playing the shakuhachi flute. They are intriguing figures in the social fabric of the Edo period. The actor's flamboyant dress suggests he is playing with notions of piety. Editor: I agree. Kabuki often employed these transgressive figures to critique societal norms. Kuniyasu, working in the early 19th century, was undoubtedly aware of the political implications of depicting such figures. Curator: It's a fascinating glimpse into the performative aspects of identity and the role of art in challenging established perceptions of spirituality. Editor: Indeed, and it encourages us to consider the image's function within the broader cultural discourse of the time.