Folded Kabuki Costume (with Crest of Actor Nakamura Shichisaburo) under Blossoming Plum Tree, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the death of Actor Nakamura Shichisaburo 1st Possibly 1804

Editor: This woodblock print by Hokusai, titled "Folded Kabuki Costume," was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of an actor's death. It depicts a folded costume beneath a plum tree. What strikes me is how the print memorializes a performer through the imagery of his costume rather than a portrait. How do you interpret that choice? Curator: It speaks volumes about the social standing and the public role of Kabuki actors in 19th-century Japan. The costume becomes a metonym for the actor himself, a powerful symbol recognized by the audience. The print highlights how celebrity was constructed and consumed through material culture. Editor: That's fascinating! It shows how objects can embody cultural significance. Curator: Precisely. And the plum blossoms, symbols of resilience and renewal, enhance the commemorative aspect. It all points to the enduring legacy of the actor, shaped and amplified by the print's circulation within society.