The Third Segawa Kikunojo as a Woman Standing in a Room 1783 - 1803

Katsukawa Shun’ei made this woodblock print depicting the actor Segawa Kikunojo III sometime in the late 18th century. This image belongs to the ukiyo-e tradition, the ‘pictures of the floating world’ that emerged in Japan’s Edo period. Here, Shun’ei depicts Segawa not in a theatrical role, but in a private setting, holding a print that likely represents one of his famous onnagata roles - that of a female character in Kabuki theatre. This introduces some interesting questions about gender and representation. Segawa was a male actor who became famous for playing female roles. In this print, we see Segawa off-stage, holding a print of himself as a woman. What does it mean to represent someone who makes a living representing someone else? This image provides an interesting commentary on the social structures of the time. For art historians, prints like this are valuable resources that document theatre history and gender roles in 18th century Japan.