The Actor Sawamura Sojuro III as the Spirit of the Courtesan Takao in the Play Takao Daimyojin Momiji no Tamagaki, Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the Seventh Month, 1787 c. 1787

This woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunkō, dating from 1787, depicts the actor Sawamura Sojuro III in the role of a courtesan. It offers insight into the cultural world of Edo-period Japan, a society where theater, celebrity, and the floating world of pleasure districts were intertwined. The image uses visual cues to create meaning, such as the actor's elaborate kimono and hairstyle, both signifiers of wealth, status, and artistic expression. During this time, the Kabuki theatre served as a dynamic public forum, not just for entertainment but also for social commentary and the negotiation of cultural values. Shunkō's print reflects the close relationship between the theater and the art world, and it also points to the role of actors as cultural icons. Researching the Nakamura Theater, the play itself, and the social status of actors at the time, can deepen our understanding of this image. It reminds us that art is often a product of specific social and institutional forces.