Kataoka Nizaemon as Honzo 1925

Natori Shunsen made this print of Kataoka Nizaemon as Honzo. I'm just imagining Shunsen in the studio, carving the woodblocks with such precision to capture every detail of the actor's expression. Look at that stern profile, the way Shunsen carves that eyebrow, it's like he's digging into the block to get that furrowed brow just right. What was Shunsen thinking as he made this? Did he feel like he was capturing the actor's essence, or was he just trying to get the likeness perfect? You feel the weight of tradition and the fleeting moment of performance all at once. It makes you think about all the other artists out there, wrestling with similar questions, trying to make something that lasts. It's a conversation across time, each artist adding their voice to the mix.