The Actors Ichikawa Ebizo II as Mushanosuke, Segawa Kikunojo I as Ochiyo, and Matsushima Kichisaburo as Ochiyo's spirit in the play "Higashiyama Gojitsu Yaoya Hanbei," performed at the Nakamura Theater in the eighth month, 1744 1744

Curator: This striking 1744 woodblock print by Torii Kiyonobu II, now residing at the Art Institute of Chicago, depicts actors in a Kabuki play titled "Higashiyama Gojitsu Yaoya Hanbei." The actors portrayed are Ichikawa Ebizo II as Mushanosuke, Segawa Kikunojo I as Ochiyo, and Matsushima Kichisaburo embodying Ochiyo's spirit. Editor: Woah, a ghostly apparition! And such exaggerated poses—the seated figure with his hands clasped so rigidly and that spirit looks to be floating rather unnaturally, yet I love the otherworldly atmosphere that Kiyonobu crafts. It almost feels like peeking into a dream, all thanks to these slightly awkward bodies and the light pinks and yellows. Curator: Indeed. The stylistic choices are quintessential to the ukiyo-e tradition. Note the bold outlines and flat planes of color, the emphatic line work—characteristics meant to convey heightened emotion and narrative clarity within a single, digestible image. This isn't about naturalism. Editor: No, and thank goodness! It’s more theatrical, almost campy. Look at the face of the man down below; he seems like a child playing pretend. And what is it he's blowing? It almost feels like he is bringing her into life! Curator: An astute observation. He's depicted with a flute. You are also touching on an important aspect of the play—his breath connects to Ochiyo's spirit, symbolizing life itself, or rather, its ephemeral nature, mirrored by the transitory world of the Kabuki theater. The formal arrangement on levels creates clear segmentation too. The play unfolds visually in the artwork in front of us. Editor: Exactly! You have this horizontal stack of scenes and the perspective lines don’t quite align, do they? This, oddly, creates an overall heightened sense of anticipation and dread. One also wonders—are we the audience within the theater watching, or simply dreaming the same story all over again? I also admire how, despite these heavy blocks of colors and hard outlines, Kiyonobu still delivers subtle movement. You have the seated man who almost sways, and then the bottom man's robes seem ready to unravel if he moved only but an inch. Beautiful tension and balance! Curator: An insightful reading. This piece, beyond its representational function, invites us to ponder performance, spectatorship, and the porous boundaries between life, art, and illusion. Editor: It does. So many questions raised from a simple glance! So much emotion imbued to the lines. And perhaps it is through all these imposed rigid artistic constrictions, we can really begin to explore our own emotions a bit more deeply, and without end.