A Young Male Actor on Parade in Autumn Rain c. 1765 - 1770

Suzuki Harunobu created this woodblock print, A Young Male Actor on Parade in Autumn Rain, sometime between 1765 and 1770. It offers a glimpse into the cultural life of Edo-period Japan. The print depicts two figures in the rain, and invites us to reflect on gender roles and performativity within the social context of 18th-century Japan. One figure, identified as a young male actor, is dressed in the guise of a woman, a common practice in Kabuki theater due to laws prohibiting women from performing. Here, gender is not a fixed category but a fluid performance. Harunobu captures a moment of societal construction, one where identity is actively shaped and negotiated through clothing, gesture, and presentation. The swords worn by the actor further complicates the image, blurring the lines between masculine and feminine. The print thus offers a window into how identities were consciously crafted and consumed in the cultural landscape of Edo Japan.