Acteurs in het Noh theaterstuk Eboshiori 1926

Tsukioka Kôgyo made this woodblock print, Acteurs in het Noh theaterstuk Eboshiori, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. I love the way the composition is split in two, it's like a diptych, but the backdrop continues behind both figures, connecting them somehow. There's something very satisfying about the patterns and colors used for the costumes. On the left, the actor is wearing what looks like a green and brown kimono with a bold, geometric design. Look at the way the colors pop against the muted background! You can almost feel the texture of the fabric. The other figure's costume is amazing too. I think about James Ensor and his prints of actors when I see this, it makes me wonder what the context was for this piece and whether Tsukioka Kôgyo wanted to show how theatre allows for a space of shared creativity and ambiguity.