Kakuju in Kawacho 1852

Curator: Right now we're looking at "Kakuju in Kawacho," a woodblock print made around 1852 by Utagawa Kunisada, now residing in the Rijksmuseum. It really leaps out at you, doesn’t it? Editor: Oh, absolutely, the rain. And that central figure! A theatrical sort of energy—he's almost lunging out of the picture plane. Curator: Kunisada was a master of Ukiyo-e, often focusing on portraits of Kabuki actors. The figure, likely Kakuju, a popular Kabuki role at the time. Notice how the roundel frames a downpour over Kawacho. The symbols here offer rich stories, you can imagine that behind every choice lies layers of history and meaning. Editor: The Kabuki actor’s dramatic pose is so deliberate, even in a relatively still medium. I think this speaks to the Japanese reverence for stillness, silence, or solitude even in frenzied moments of change or social upheaval. Curator: Good point! And his gaze—it seems so direct. Do you see any other repeating signs? I feel the circular designs may offer another clue… Editor: Absolutely, I find this work to be so incredibly powerful, beyond what the imagery of rain, figure or lantern alone, is trying to convey. The arrangement adds another dimension. What stands out for you when you see all this? Curator: The juxtaposition of the ephemeral, like the rain and transient nature of theatre, with something much more lasting–the woodblock medium that immortalises the moment! How about we sit with our experience of his craft? Editor: Yes, the emotionality layered in the expression seems as fresh as if he had just laid his burin down and it’s ready to spring from the block even now, all these years later. Amazing to take the trip from this world that feels somehow very new even to our ancient inner senses.