Description
Nakamura Sukegorō II appears as a man carrying a black lacquer letter box, making the object an important part of the represented character. The man bends through torso and knees, with the box and its strap close to the upper body before a red torii gate. The posture makes the carried object’s weight part of the scene, joining the role’s practical task to a recognizable architectural setting.
Made around 1774, the nishiki-e print uses ink and color on paper. The subject’s interest lies in the relationship between performer, character and carried object: a small container can suggest an action extending beyond the pictured moment. Katsukawa Shunshō preserves the actor’s identity within that particular guise. The work makes the idea of communication tangible through something held and transported, allowing the figure to be encountered at the threshold of a wider dramatic situation.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Katsukawa Shunshō collection.
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