Nakamura Utaemon III als Ishikawa Goemon 1822

This woodblock print by Shunkōsai Hokushū depicts the actor Nakamura Utaemon III in the role of Ishikawa Goemon. The image's bold lines and stylized features connect it to the vibrant world of Japanese Kabuki theatre and the woodblock print industry that supported it. Kabuki theatre flourished in the Edo period. As a popular form of entertainment, it often featured stories of heroism and rebellion, offering a way to comment on the strict social hierarchy. Ishikawa Goemon, a Robin Hood-like figure, was a popular character, embodying a challenge to authority. Woodblock prints of actors in their roles were avidly collected and served as publicity for the plays and the actors themselves, in effect creating a star system. The print also demonstrates how institutional structures shape artistic production and the reception of art. Historians consult playbills, theatre records, and biographies of actors to understand these prints and how these images reflect the dynamic relationship between art, entertainment, and society. Art is not made in a vacuum; it reflects the values, concerns, and power structures of its time.