The Actor Segawa Tomisaburo II as Lady Masago (Masago Gozen) (?) in the Play Genji Saiko Kogane no Tachibana (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Eleventh Month, 1788 (?) c. 1788

This woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunko from 1788 depicts the actor Segawa Tomisaburo II in character as Lady Masago. The image comes from the floating world culture of Edo period Japan, a vibrant scene of theater and pleasure districts. Woodblock prints like these were essentially publicity, designed to promote actors and plays. But they also tell us about social attitudes. Notice that Segawa Tomisaburo II is a male actor playing a female role. This reflects the conventions of Kabuki theater, where female roles were often taken by men. The print offers a fascinating glimpse into the intersection of gender, performance, and representation in 18th-century Japan. To understand it fully, we can look at theater history, social hierarchies, and the economic structures that supported the arts. The resources available here at the Art Institute of Chicago are a great place to start.