Print 1800 - 1865

This woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada depicts a Kabuki actor, his intense gaze and grip on the wooden post revealing a moment of high drama on stage. Consider the spiral patterns adorning the actor's robe. These motifs are not merely decorative; they echo across cultures and through time. Spirals appear in ancient Minoan art, Celtic designs, and even the architecture of Borromini. Each time, they hint at the cyclical nature of life, the dance of expansion and contraction. Here, in Kunisada's print, the spiral takes on a new layer of meaning, intertwined with the actor's emotional state. The tension in his body, the sweat on his brow—all amplified by the swirling patterns that seem to vibrate with his anxiety. It is this layering of cultural memory, this emotional resonance, that elevates the image beyond a simple portrait, inviting us to connect with the actor's inner turmoil on a primal level. The symbol resurfaces and evolves, each time coloured by a new narrative.