Scene from an Unidentified Drama 1790 - 1810

Utagawa Toyokuni I created this woodblock print of a dramatic scene in Japan, sometime before his death in 1825. Woodblock prints served an important public role in Japan at this time, and the Japanese watched the Kabuki theatre critically and avidly. Although the play eludes us, we can recognize that the print depicts two male actors, swords drawn, locked in combat. The bare feet of the actor on the left serve as a subtle visual signal. They indicate that the figure is of lower social class than his opponent on the right, who wears traditional yellow socks. The print comments on the social structures of its time, providing an important form of cultural capital for the public who enjoyed Kabuki plays. Without more information about the play, it is difficult for modern art historians to interpret the work further. But by researching playbills, audience reviews, and the cultural milieu from which this image emerged, we can further illuminate the political and social meanings embedded in this print.