三代目瀬川菊之丞|Kabuki Actor Segawa Kikunojō III in a Female Role
1788
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From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1788
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
This print shows a person dressed in bright, patterned robes, posing dramatically with one arm raised. Their face is painted white with bold black lines, and they wear a red wig. The background has a tree with green leaves and a stormy sky with slashing rain. Notice how the artist used sharp lines to show movement and emotion—this was a common way to make woodblock prints feel alive. The actor’s outfit and makeup suggest they’re playing a woman in a kabuki play. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists create depth with lines like these.
