Okina [center of a triptych of the Noh roles Senzai c. mid 19th century

Curator: Standing before us is a captivating piece from around the mid-19th century by Kano Kazunobu. This ink and watercolor work on paper, titled "Okina [center of a triptych of the Noh roles Senzai", resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: It strikes me as simultaneously comical and profound. There's a gentle humor in the figure's stance and expression, yet a sense of deep cultural weight behind it all. Almost like a benevolent trickster spirit. Curator: Trickster might be accurate. Kazunobu captures Okina, a central figure in Noh theatre— a sacred dance-drama tradition, particularly in its oldest forms. The triptych context would be central to really grasping its fullness... separated here. We feel just the single performer, frozen. Editor: You can feel the stillness, yet the energy contained within the character. His outfit… that ornate, geometric pattern on the robe. The muted indigo blue pants add a kind of subdued balance, anchoring him. The whiteness around his neck...almost funereal, no? Curator: In many respects, yes. Okina embodies an old man who appears in a preliminary ritual, a sort of purification or blessing for the performance. And although aged he has also an intense youthfulness and energy. So while his appearance evokes the elderly, the role embodies life's vibrancy as a celebration of ritual renewal. Editor: He seems to want to share a secret joke with the audience, the curve of his lips says all of this. I can't help but feel a sense of performance anxiety coming from him. He's a center that seeks further context from the triptych it inhabits.. Curator: Without question, Okina occupies a foundational, reverential position—think of him as a doorway to deeper engagements with Japanese traditions. Kazunobu preserves the solemnity alongside subtle hints of mischievousness, capturing a nuanced balance only visible through time-honed talent and observation. Editor: And for me it's like glimpsing a character who has wisdom and laughter interwoven within him—a silent jester.