The Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Hiranoya Tokubei (?) in the Play Waka Murasaki Edokko Soga (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Third Month, 1792 (?) c. 1792

This woodblock print by Katsukawa Shun'ei, created around 1792, captures the actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II in the role of Hiranoya Tokubei. Immediately, one is struck by the composition and limited palette. The figure dominates the pictorial space, standing off-center and gazing intently to his right, suggesting a narrative beyond the frame. The artist's formal choices, such as the linear arrangement of the background and the striped kimono, emphasize flatness and the constructed nature of the image. These elements function almost as a semiotic system, directing our attention to the actor’s features and costume. Shun’ei expertly uses color to highlight the actor's expressive face and the folds of his garment, adding depth to an otherwise planar composition. This print, rather than aiming for naturalistic representation, seems to focus on the artificiality of the stage and the performative aspects of identity. It challenges traditional notions of portraiture and invites us to consider how identity can be a fluid construct, represented through the conventions of theater and printmaking.