Kabuki props for Actor Ichikawa DanjÅ«rō's Shibaraku Performance, with poems by Jitokuan Hanasaki-ō, SenshÅ«san and Hajintei Hikaru (d. 1796) c. 1796

Editor: This is "Kabuki props for Actor Ichikawa Danjūrō's Shibaraku Performance, with poems," a print by Kubo Shunman. It has a stillness to it, like a carefully arranged stage setting. What strikes you most about this work? Curator: I see a powerful commentary on the constructed nature of identity, particularly masculinity, within the rigid social structure of Edo-period Japan. How are the actor’s props used to symbolize and reinforce societal expectations, and who benefits from these performances? Editor: So, the props aren't just objects, but tools for shaping perception? Curator: Exactly. Shunman is prompting us to question the very foundations upon which these roles are built, inviting us to consider how power dynamics are perpetuated through art and performance. It makes me wonder, how are modern identities similarly curated? Editor: It gives me a lot to think about when I look at the piece now. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure!