Actor Ichikawa DanjÅ«rō 7th Preparing New Year's Gifts c. 1830

Editor: So here we have Utagawa Kunisada's woodblock print of "Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō 7th Preparing New Year's Gifts." I'm struck by how intimate it feels, like we're peeking into a very personal moment. What do you make of it? Curator: It's a backstage pass, isn't it? Kunisada lets us see not just the actor, but the person preparing for the social rituals of the New Year. Notice how the severity of his face contrasts with the joyful occasion, or with the plum blossoms on the screen; the actor's persona is carefully built, shaped. The letters might be an invitation to imagine the actor’s personal life. What do you think? Editor: It makes me wonder about the actor's real feelings versus what he presents to the world. Curator: Exactly! And that tension, I think, is what makes this piece so compelling. Thank you for pointing that out.