The Fourth Iwai Hanshiro as a Woman Holding a Crystal Ball and Dancing on the Bank of a Stream 1778 - 1798

"The Fourth Iwai Hanshiro as a Woman Holding a Crystal Ball and Dancing on the Bank of a Stream" is a woodblock print by Katsukawa Shun'ei, a prominent artist of the late Edo period in Japan. The print depicts a kabuki actor, Iwai Hanshiro IV, in the guise of a woman, highlighting the tradition of onnagata, or female roles played by men, in kabuki theatre. The print, created between 1778 and 1798, captures the elegance and fluidity of movement that characterize the onnagata role, as the figure gracefully dances while holding a crystal ball. Shun'ei's detailed depiction of the actor's costume and the stylized landscape further emphasizes the theatricality and artistry of kabuki performance. This print, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, stands as a testament to the beauty and cultural significance of Japanese woodblock prints and kabuki theatre.