The Actor Segawa Kikunojo I as Kuzunoha c. 1737

Curator: This print immediately strikes me as contemplative. The composition, with the figure leaning wearily, evokes a sense of quiet and perhaps melancholy. Editor: Indeed. We’re looking at "The Actor Segawa Kikunojo I as Kuzunoha," a woodblock print created around 1737 by Torii Kiyomasu II. Notice the carefully delineated wood grain of the box, the meticulous carving that captures the subtle textures in the actor's robe. It speaks to a specific mode of artisanal production during the Edo period. Curator: Precisely! It’s fascinating how the medium itself—the woodblock print—allowed for the mass production and dissemination of these images. The Ukiyo-e tradition meant art was no longer just for the elite, but for a burgeoning urban populace. Editor: Absolutely. And consider the subject. Kikunojo I was a celebrated onnagata, a male actor specializing in female roles. Depicting him as Kuzunoha, the fox spirit, brings up complex layers of performance, identity, and cultural mythology. The artist is engaging with the Kabuki theater scene. Curator: Right, this gets at how Kabuki performances relied on intricate costumes and carefully managed public personas. The white circles decorating the outer garment, called mon, denote belonging to a particular Kabuki school or acting family and the fan seen inside the rectangle provides clues, too. Editor: So this image wasn't simply capturing an actor; it was advertising his persona, connecting to a web of cultural and commercial exchanges. It highlights the public role of performers and how imagery helped build fame in that era. Curator: And how those labor processes contributed to the wider societal imagination surrounding beauty, entertainment and stories we tell about shape-shifting entities such as foxes in Japanese lore. Editor: Ultimately, this work reminds us that art isn't just about individual genius, but about collaboration, industrial processes, and the shared stories we tell ourselves as a culture. Curator: Indeed. Considering this work has reshaped my appreciation for the power of theatre!