Print 1800 - 1865

This woodblock print was made by Utagawa Kunisada, and it is now held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Kunisada was a commercial artist working in Japan during a time of relative peace and prosperity. In this context, the Kabuki theatre boomed in popularity, and the demand for images of famous actors increased. Here, Kunisada depicts a male actor in a dynamic pose, hand raised to his brow and sword drawn at his hip. These prints were essentially publicity material for the stage, and they functioned as records of popular culture. The fish motif behind the actor may be a reference to a particular play, or simply a decorative addition to the composition. To understand this print better, one might research the institutions of the Kabuki theatre and the system of patronage through which Kunisada was supported. The cultural historian uses images like this to understand the social life of their time.