Onoe Tamizo as a Samurai Woman

Description

Onoe Tamizō portrays a samurai woman standing in flowing orange and pale patterned robes with swords at her side. A railing behind gives the upright actor a simple architectural setting. Katsukawa Shunshō connects a named performer to a female warrior identity, allowing costume and weapons to establish the role while the particular actor remains central to the encounter.

Katsukawa Shunshō’s color woodblock print dates to around 1775 or 1776. Ink and color on paper preserve that performed identity beyond the unfolding stage event, giving the encounter a quieter, lasting form. The image invites attention to a character defined through both gender and martial status, without requiring an invented plot to give the portrayal meaning.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Katsukawa Shunshō collection.