The Kabuki Actor Nakamura Utaemon III (Shikan) as Ishikawa Goemon 1822

Editor: Here we have Shunkōsai Hokushū’s print from 1822, “The Kabuki Actor Nakamura Utaemon III (Shikan) as Ishikawa Goemon,” currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The character's got this fascinating look of fierce determination... but what is it really telling us? Curator: It's more than just "fierce determination," isn't it? Think about Kabuki itself, this incredibly codified performance art. And then consider Ishikawa Goemon – a Robin Hood-esque figure in Japanese folklore. What cultural memory does Goemon trigger, and how is it being visually synthesized with this specific actor’s portrayal? Editor: I guess there’s that expectation, right? The audience would already have these pre-existing associations. The red makeup under the eye, the specific headdress... how do these read symbolically within that Kabuki language? Curator: Exactly. Each element contributes. The makeup itself - its placement, its colour - acts as a signifier. Then you have the actor portraying a role. He embodies the cultural meaning of that historical persona through established conventions. How do you think the caricature helps with portraying emotional authenticity for the audience? Editor: It’s like a shortcut to an emotional state. Exaggerating his expression perhaps taps into readily-understood feelings tied to the character. So even though it's stylized, the caricature helps to immediately get at deeper meanings... I'm beginning to see the different layers. Curator: The genius is the convergence of established motifs and cultural narratives, triggering collective cultural memory that enriches the immediate moment of dramatic experience. The audience engages not just with what's presented, but with what's remembered and felt. Editor: So, the performance, the character, and the audience are locked into a symbolic embrace! That’s a totally different reading than I initially expected! Curator: Indeed. These artworks function as cultural echo chambers. Hopefully we helped peel back some of the layers and the emotions tied up with it.