Mimasuya Sukejuro as a Samurai Attired in Kamishimo 1760 - 1780

This woodblock print depicts Mimasuya Sukejuro, a male kabuki actor, dressed as a samurai. Created by Ippitsusai Bunchō in the late 18th century, this work reflects the complex intersections of gender, class, and performance in Edo period Japan. Kabuki theater, while wildly popular, existed in a liminal space, often policed and regulated by the shogunate, which tells us about the era's social anxieties and cultural expressions. Here, Sukejuro’s androgynous beauty challenges rigid social norms, embodying a subversive, almost punk sensibility. The samurai attire, usually reserved for the ruling class, is donned by an actor, blurring the lines between representation and reality. What does it mean to try on a different identity? Bunchō captures the emotional intensity of Sukejuro's performance, inviting us to contemplate the fluidity of identity and the power of representation. The artist emphasizes that the theater becomes a space where societal roles are not fixed but are performed.