Ichikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of Oiwa 1865

Enjaku created this woodblock print, Ichikawa Yonezō as the Ghost of Oiwa, sometime in the mid-19th century, and it now resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The composition is stark, dominated by a figure draped in white against a solid black ground. Enjaku uses minimal color; the white of the figure contrasts with the dark void, immediately evoking feelings of spectral dread. The sweeping lines of Oiwa’s robes add to the dynamism, suggesting a ghostly movement. The print destabilizes fixed meanings. Oiwa is traditionally a victim, but here she is portrayed as an avenging spirit. The artist’s choice to depict actor Ichikawa Yonezō challenges fixed notions of identity and representation, blurring the lines between performance and reality, actor and character. Notice how the formal elements—the strategic use of line, color, and composition—not only establish the aesthetic but also function within a larger cultural discourse about gender, performance, and spectrality. This print is not just a static image but an active participant in an ongoing cultural dialogue.