Ichikawa Monnosuke II in a Shibaraku Performance 1780

Editor: So, here we have Katsukawa Shunko's "Ichikawa Monnosuke II in a Shibaraku Performance," a print from 1780. The colors are striking, particularly the red and white makeup. It has a somewhat stern feeling to it, I think. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Beyond the visual spectacle, let's consider the kabuki context. Kabuki wasn't just entertainment; it was a space where societal norms could be both reinforced and subtly challenged. This particular character, in the *Shibaraku* role, represented a powerful figure intervening against injustice. Think of it as a commentary on power dynamics within the Edo period. How do you read the bold makeup in relation to this theme? Editor: Well, the makeup certainly amplifies the sense of authority. It's theatrical but also feels like a mask, maybe hiding something underneath? Curator: Exactly! And what might that "something" be? Kabuki often allowed for social commentary through exaggerated characters. Consider the restrictions placed on actors, often relegated to the fringes of society. This mask, this role, granted them temporary power, but within very specific parameters. Do you see a tension between freedom and constraint here? Editor: I do now. It’s a really interesting tension—this figure embodying justice is actually bound by so many constraints. It changes my understanding of the work and this specific character. Curator: Precisely. And how does considering those restrictions, as applied to a whole community, alter our interpretation of justice itself? Editor: It makes it less straightforward. Thanks, I hadn't thought of it that way at all. It gives the work so many new layers.