Act X c. 1806

Katsushika Hokusai made this woodblock print called “Act X” in Japan sometime in the early 19th century. It illustrates a moment of high drama, pulled from a well-known story. This frenzied scene is packed with visual codes that would have resonated with Hokusai’s audience. Figures in elaborate costumes wield swords amidst a domestic interior and a moonlit seascape. Theatre was a popular form of entertainment, yet its exaggerated characters and narratives were also used to represent real-world tensions. This print comes from a time of rigid social hierarchy under the Tokugawa Shogunate when artists often turned to coded imagery to comment on contemporary society, critiquing or reinforcing existing social norms through historical and legendary narratives. By studying the popular culture of the period, we can better understand the print’s original context, and appreciate the rich historical associations it held for its viewers.