Weather Clearing at Hirokoji- Actor Kawarazaki Gonjūrō I as Ushiwara Denji Possibly 1865 - 1867

Toyohara Kunichika created this woodblock print, "Weather Clearing at Hirokoji" depicting actor Kawarazaki Gonjūrō I, sometime in the late 19th century. Observe how the scene is constructed through a careful arrangement of geometric forms and contrasting textures. The actor, caught mid-gesture, wears a boldly patterned checkered robe that dominates the composition. The precise lines of the checks create a visual tension against the dark, undefined background. The red star-shaped emblem above adds a splash of color, its sharp angles contrasting with the flowing lines of the ghostly figure to its right. Kunichika masterfully plays with the concepts of depth and flatness. The objects in the foreground—the box and scattered items—seem to project forward, while the background remains ambiguously flat, challenging our spatial perception. This use of form and color is not merely decorative. The contrast between the detailed foreground and the abstract background could be interpreted as a reflection of the shifting realities and perceptions during the Meiji era, where traditional and modern sensibilities collided. We are left to question the nature of representation itself, and how meaning is constructed through visual signs.