The Actor Nakayama Kojuro VI as Chinzei Hachiro Tametomo Disguised as Lady Hotoke (Hotoke Gozen) in the Play Yukimotsu Take Furisode Genji, Performed at the Nakamura Theater in the Eleventh Month, 1785

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of 18th-century Edo-period, Katsukawa Shunkō's *The Actor Nakayama Kojuro as Chinzei Hach Tametomo Disgu as Lady Hotoke (oke Gozen)* captures the theatrical flair of Kabuki drama. Created around 1785 as a color woodblock print in the *hosoban* format (.4 × 14.8 cm), this intimate yakusha-e (actor portrait) advertises a performance of *Yukimotsu Take Furisode Genji* the Nakamura Theater. It portrays the celebrated onnagata (male actor specializing in female roles) Nakayama Kojuro VI in a dramatic cross-dressing guise: the fierce warrior Chinzei Hachiro Tametomo masquerading as the elegant Lady Hotoke. Shunkō, a master of the Katsukawa school, revolutionized ukiyo-e prints with his innovative style—realistic facial expressions and dynamic poses that brought actors to life, departing from earlier stylized conventions. The *hosoban* format, slimmer than standard prints, was perfect for affordable, collectible souvenirs sold outside theaters, democratizing access to Kabuki's spectacle for everyday fans. This technique involved intricate carving and multi-block printing for vivid colors and fine details, reflecting the era's booming print culture. Today, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this print offers a window into Japan's floating world (*ukiyo*), where art, theater, and celebrity intertwined, celebrating the artistry of disguise and performance that enthralled audiences over two centuries ago.

About the Artist

Katsukawa Shunkо̄ · 1743–1812

Katsukawa Shunkō I (1743–1812), born Denjiro Kiyokawa in Edo (modern Tokyo), emerged as a pivotal figure in ukiyo-e woodblock printing. His early life remains sparsely documented, but by the late 1760s, he had begun illustrating books such as *Talks about Debut Plays* (*Kaomise shibai banashi*, 1766). Shunkō studied under the master Katsukawa Shunshō, founder and leader of the Katsukawa school, an...