The Actor Onoe Matsusuke in the Role of Lady Iwafuji 1785 - 1805

Utagawa Toyokuni I created this woodblock print, titled "The Actor Onoe Matsusuke in the Role of Lady Iwafuji," in Japan. This image shows a male actor in the guise of a woman, reflecting the restrictions placed on female performers during the Edo period. Kabuki theater, though popular, faced moral scrutiny from the ruling classes, as they often do with public art forms. The detailed floral patterns on the kimono, along with the actor's poised stance, were visual codes to elevate the social perception of the art. The print's survival and display in institutions like the Met allows us to investigate archival materials that can help reveal the complex interplay between art, social control, and cultural expression in 19th-century Japan. The meaning of this artwork isn't fixed but is always being revealed through ongoing historical research.