Actor Arashi Rikan 3rd (One of Three Kabuki Actors) c. 1855 - 1860

Editor: So, this is Utagawa Kunisada's "Actor Arashi Rikan 3rd (One of Three Kabuki Actors)" from the Harvard Art Museums. It's such a striking image, with the actor wearing that intense wolf headdress. What do you see when you look at this, how does it resonate with you? Curator: It’s a portal, isn’t it? A gateway into the shifting identities of Kabuki theater. The actor isn't just wearing a wolf; he’s embodying it. What stories do you think that wolf holds? Editor: Hmm, maybe tales of transformation, of human nature blurring with the animal. The actor's expression is so serious beneath the headdress, but is he playing a wolf or an actor playing a wolf? Curator: Precisely! The print captures that delicious ambiguity. It whispers of ancient folklore, where animals held immense power and humans danced between worlds. I wonder what Kunisada wanted us to question about ourselves? Editor: This really shows how a single image can unpack so much complexity. Thanks for sharing your perspective. Curator: My pleasure! It's a reminder that art invites us to become storytellers ourselves.