The Actor Arashi Otohachi II as the Monk Hokaibo in the Play Edo Shitate Kosode Soga, Performed at the Morita Theater in the First Month, 1777 c. 1777

Editor: Katsukawa Shunko's woodblock print, "The Actor Arashi Otohachi II as the Monk Hokaibo," made around 1777, strikes me as quite a character study. The figure seems caught between worlds with that elaborate fan and weary expression. What jumps out at you? Curator: It whispers of fleeting moments and echoes with layered theatricality. This isn't just a portrait, it's a distillation of a performance, the essence of a role etched in ink. The torn garments? A stage costume, maybe, or perhaps hinting at the monk’s dishevelment... think of the ephemeral nature of the theater itself! I always wonder what Arashi Otohachi II, the actor, thought about seeing *himself* depicted like this! The poem is key, too, isn't it? Have you deciphered its meaning yet? Editor: Not entirely. It seems to speak to fleeting fame and earthly desires… almost contradicting the monk's expected austerity? Curator: Precisely! Shunko captured a beautiful contradiction—a very human moment in the persona of the Monk Hokaibo. Almost a humorous note amongst the austerity of it all. Art making us think, is a very precious thing, don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely! I initially saw weariness, but now I see complexity, too. It's a testament to the layers within performance and identity itself. Thank you! Curator: And thank you. I see now what a simple viewing can cloud… sometimes, the questions that rise to the surface teach us all!