Print 1786 - 1854

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, during the Edo period in Japan. Here we see a moment frozen in time from Japanese Kabuki theater, a popular form of entertainment that was often sexually charged. Kabuki theater emerged from a time of social upheaval and changing gender norms in Japan. Initially, Kabuki was performed by women, but was later banned for being too erotic. Here the male actor's cross-dressed role raises questions about gender identity and performance. The art of Utagawa Kunisada reflects the fluid nature of gender and sexuality in Japanese culture. With careful detail the artist depicted the garments, expressions, and postures of the characters, inviting us to contemplate the complexities of identity, desire, and representation. This print serves as a window into a world where traditional representations are constantly challenged and reimagined, and where the boundaries between reality and illusion blur, leaving us to question our own perceptions.