Unidentified actor in a female role, with a fan. Long text, signed Santô Kyôsan gijutsu [playfully written by … ]
Utagawa Toyokuni I
Description
Subject Matter:
This woodblock print depicts an actor of kabuki, a popular form of Japanese theater in which male actors play female roles. Kabuki performances were regarded as social events in which individuals of different social classes were able to come together and interact with one another.
Prints like this were easily mass-produced and served as souvenirs that celebrated the most famous actors of the day. The long text, written by popular writer Santō Kyōzan (1769–1858), is about the attractiveness of the actor in this role.
Usage Rights:
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