Ichikawa Komazō III as the monk Saihō no Mida Jirō, actually Sagami Jirō Tokiyuki 1795

Editor: This is a striking woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku from 1795, titled "Ichikawa Komazō III as the monk Saihō no Mida Jirō, actually Sagami Jirō Tokiyuki." It’s an intriguing image – a figure that feels both imposing and somehow comical, and I am wondering what stories this woodblock might be telling? Curator: Ah, Sharaku! He appears and vanishes like a phantom star. You nailed it; there’s definitely humor, even mischief here. See how he exaggerates the actor’s features? It's almost a caricature. I'd wager, given that gleam in his eye, Sharaku saw past the monk disguise straight to the rebellious heart of Tokiyuki. What feelings come up for you here, knowing this playful deceit? Editor: Knowing it is theatrical role-playing, the intensity of the figure and his slightly contorted posture make me wonder about the dramatic tension within the play. Curator: Precisely! These prints weren’t passive portraits, were they? They were about capturing a charged moment, a revelation. A fleeting moment, if I may add. Consider that sharp sword glinting, the stark, linear designs, against a subdued backdrop… Sharaku creates drama using simple blocks of color. I feel his bold design speaks volumes about the hidden complexities of character. Editor: It makes you wonder about Sharaku himself – why exaggerate certain features? Curator: Did he favor those he sketched? Dislike the actor, maybe? Was it truth, accident, design, or some fleeting impulse driving him? Such fleeting mystery adds even more richness and makes the print that more timeless for us to think about all these centuries later. What will *you* carry away from it, after our encounter, after looking at the lines? Editor: I guess I see that, like any great artwork, it reveals something different each time you really look. Now it gives me a different glimpse of 18th-century Japanese theatre and Sharaku’s subversive wit. Thank you! Curator: And for me, it reinforces the old wisdom that every encounter is another chance to be delightfully baffled all over again.