Wrestler Takaneyama Masaemon from Higo Province 1843

Curator: Here we have Utagawa Kunisada's woodblock print, "Wrestler Takaneyama Masaemon from Higo Province," created around 1843. Editor: My first thought? This is delightful! It's wonderfully odd – the wrestler has this strangely passive expression despite his bulging physique. Curator: The exaggerated musculature certainly draws the eye, doesn't it? Consider the visual impact of the lines creating this physique, which contrast starkly with the almost cartoonish simplicity of the face. What could this contrast signify? Editor: Well, sumo wrestling held an important position in Edo-period society, even with the restrictions put into place with the Tokugawa dynasty. Kunisada produced this image to serve a cultural purpose in immortalizing this champion through a cheap, accessible form of art. Note the texture created through the straw and clothing of the wrestler! Curator: Good observation, The interplay between the flat planes of color and the linear details like the rope create a complex and visually engaging surface. There is little volume, yet the image is powerful, full of implied potential energy! Editor: It makes one consider the broader socio-political implications. Prints like this also served to elevate individuals. We have a clear hierarchy on view between classes of people! The rising merchant class desired an engagement with performative celebrity and status, yet needed a moralizing lens to examine social class in relation to wrestling as popular entertainment. Curator: I am compelled to also highlight the patterning of the rope. It is a crucial part of the wrestler's garb; the artist takes care to fill up the frame with horizontal patterns. It adds to the impact of his form, creating contrast, visual layering, a bold declaration that takes up a lot of the picture plane! Editor: It gives the subject the foundation that makes him a great champion! I leave this viewing with a renewed awareness of the relationship between print culture, celebrity and society in the Edo period. Thanks for opening my eyes to new readings through this beautiful woodblock print! Curator: Indeed, reflecting on these details provides an engaging insight into the fusion of visual form and cultural context. I've considered ways that semiotic readings allow insight into forms of representation, helping the observer better unpack meaning.