Description
Iwai Hanshirō IV portrays an onnadate, an assertive female character, standing tall in a dark robe decorated with colored motifs. A bent forearm and a low fixture beside the figure give the arrangement distinct accents. Katsukawa Shunshō makes costume and stance part of the characterization, while keeping the named actor present within the role he assumes.
Katsukawa Shunshō’s color woodblock print is dated to around 1787–90. Ink and color on paper give the portrayal a lasting presence outside the theater, allowing the relationship between actor and character to remain its central interest. The work offers a close encounter with a performed identity, preserving the distinction between the person represented and the person responsible for making that representation convincing.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Katsukawa Shunshō collection.
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