The Actor Ichikawa Komazo III as Katanaya Hanshichi in the Play Heike Hyobanki, Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the Ninth Month, 1789 c. 1789

Editor: Here we have Katsukawa Shunko’s woodblock print, "The Actor Ichikawa Komazo III as Katanaya Hanshichi," created around 1789. It’s amazing how the artist captured the actor's likeness. The simplified lines and shapes have a rather dramatic, stylized impact. What draws your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: Immediately, the juxtaposition of flat planes and subtle gradations seizes my attention. Note the sharp delineation of the figure against the neutral ground. Shunko manipulates color—observe the restricted palette of salmon, black, and beige—to establish a complex visual hierarchy. How does this controlled chromatic range affect the overall structure? Editor: I think it makes the patterns on the robes stand out more, but the colors are still subdued, so it doesn’t become too busy. Do you think the asymmetry adds something? Curator: Precisely. The off-center composition is crucial. Shunko orchestrates asymmetry to imbue the figure with a kinetic quality, an implied movement. Consider how the black kimono pulls the eye in a particular direction, while the fall of leaves echoes it at the top. What of the placement of negative space? Editor: I hadn’t noticed before, but there is much more empty space above the figure’s head, making him look almost trapped or confined despite being outdoors. Curator: Intriguing. That reading finds support in the subtle angularity across the planes. Observe the angular fold of the sleeves. Every element, from the line of the jaw to the pattern of foliage is consciously plotted, building tension with visual discord, wouldn't you say? Editor: It's fascinating how the print seems so simple at first glance, but there's actually a lot of thought and planning in every single detail. Curator: Precisely. Recognizing such structuring allows one to apprehend the deeper structural grammar embedded within the artwork.