Osagawa Tsuneyo as a Tall Woman Dressed in a Black Uchikake

Description

Osagawa Tsuneyo II appears in a female role, wearing a black upper robe above a richly patterned, extended hem. Elaborate headwear and hands held close to the body reinforce the figure’s carefully composed presence. Katsukawa Shunshō makes dress an active part of the portrayal, while the named actor remains the individual responsible for bringing the character into view.

Katsukawa Shunshō’s color woodblock print dates to 1787–88, within the Edo period. Ink and color on paper preserve the character’s presentation in a medium suited to close attention outside the theater. Its interest lies in that meeting of role and individual identity, where a garment associated with the character becomes part of the means through which a recognizable performer inhabits another presence.

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