De acteur Ichikawa Danjuro VII maakt zich op voor een Shibaraku voorstelling geassisteerd door een jongen c. 1830

Curator: What strikes me immediately about this print is its intimacy. We are given a glimpse into a moment of transformation. Editor: It is interesting seeing the paraphernalia around him; the various makeup containers, mirror, and cloth hanging from a support, all of which seem very intentionally placed. I can already tell how meticulous and crafted the whole process is. Curator: Exactly! What we are looking at is a woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada, circa 1830, called "The actor Ichikawa Danjuro VII making up for a Shibaraku performance assisted by a boy.” The image offers a fascinating window into the behind-the-scenes preparations of Kabuki theatre. The actor is halfway through the process of transforming into his larger-than-life stage persona. Editor: This portrayal provides an entry point into understanding ukiyo-e prints within the context of 19th-century culture. You can tell there were various specialized workshops and artisan skills needed to bring something like this to life, because in its production there had to be carvers and printers involved, as well as the publisher and the artist of course. Curator: Yes, and consider the figure himself. The red makeup, the exaggerated brow lines—they weren’t just for show. The makeup and costumes had a deeply symbolic meaning that audiences would have understood immediately. These bold choices amplify emotion; the audience already knows how to receive the information based on how he adorns his face. The actor becomes a vessel for these emotions and moral codes. Editor: Which I feel relates to the print medium itself: to produce multiples there’s already an awareness that images get circulated into different environments, different locations and this kind of printing brings with it a wide distribution; it also allows those without privilege the opportunity to view performances. Curator: Precisely. What a revelation to observe the potency that the image holds! It bridges everyday reality with a realm of archetypal narratives and social values. Editor: Definitely, there's a clear engagement with cultural transmission embedded into the artwork as a printed, consumable object.