People Magazine, move over: The titillating truths of Kabuki theater rivalry and stardom are on display now at the Museum of Fine Arts! Furtive eyes, wicked grins and extraordinary costumes greet visitors at the "On Stage in Osaka: Actor Prints from the MFA Collection" show.
The exhibit, on view at the Museum of Fine Arts through Jan. of next year, showcases woodblock prints from Osaka, Japan that have never before been displayed. The prints range from singular portraits known as "big head pictures" to group scenes involving props and special effects, but all have something in common.
Each print is delineated by black borders inherent to printmaking and is enriched by skillful reproductions of elaborate fabrics and designs. Vibrantly rich color, sharp contrast, cartoonish features and the effortless simplicity of line make these prints a visual dessert worth savoring. Created to bring the under-recognized Osaka woodblock prints to its audience, this show includes over 50 prints from 17 different 19th-century artists.
The Osaka woodblock print tradition, unlike the one in Edo, is focused almost exclusively on portrayals of actors from the popular Kabuki theater. These actors, much like the celebrities of today, craved the spotlight of fame, the fans and the drama that surround it. Today's tabloid headlines of celebrity scandal, public eroticism and inflated ego might owe their launch to the Kabuki theater prints and its stars.
Scandal has followed Kabuki theater from its beginnings. Originally both male and female actors performed in Kabuki plays. Female actresses, who exaggerated their beauty and sensuality while performing, attracted male audiences who wanted to do more than watch. Kabuki theater became a haven for prostitution, and eventually women were barred from acting. In turn, men had to take on female roles.
Included in this exhibit are many portraits of male actors in drag, among them Gyokuryutei Shigeharu's amusing print "Nakamura Matsue III and Sawamura Kunitaro II Enjoying the Evening Cool in the Theatre District at Dotonburi"(1832). This print portrays two well-known Kabuki actors in an imaginary scene dressed as women and strolling the streets of downtown Osaka.
Gender-bending was only the tip of the iceberg of what these actors would do for fame. For instance, some were known to stage their own retirements, bequeathing their acting names to rising young stars, only to continue performing under new names.
Likewise, Kabuki stars would stop at nothing to keep their faces in the spotlight, so they often showcased their broad theatrical talents by performing all the roles in one production.
In that vein, Gosotei Hirosada's "Six Poetic Immortals" (1852) shows the same actor depicted as several different characters. Without doubt, Kabuki's gossip-loving fans and theatrical promoters played their part in fueling the actors' fanatical desire to remain in the limelight; after all, scandal is good for business.
These prints served the same function as pin-ups of our favorite Hollywood celebrities; in the absence of available full texts of Kabuki plays, the prints allowed fans to tuck souvenirs of their favorite actors under their arms and take them home to ogle their beloved stars in privacy.
In some cases, the fans were actually included in the images, such as in another Hirosada print, "Nakamura Utaemon IV" (1850), where the actor is shown dramatically bowing to a groupie in the upper corner. In this art form, the role of the fan is central; a celebrity's persona must be a projection not only of his own identity, but also a reflection of what the fan most desires.
Strikingly similar to contemporary fans who scour the pages of US Weekly and In Touch to find out why Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Simpson aren't speaking this week, 19th-century Kabuki theater audiences were fascinated with the personal lives of their celebrities. Rivalries and reconciliations among different actors consumed the public's interest.
Shunkosai Hokushu's print, "Arashi Kichisaburo II as Prince Koretaka in the Restoration of the Ariwara Lineage and Nakamura Utaemon III as Kato Masakiyo in the Eight Strategies and Guardian Castle" (1820), depicts two rival actors performing simultaneously but doing so on separate stages. Perhaps this image speaks to the public's fervent hope that these two celebrities would reconcile and perform together once again.
While visually fascinating, "On Stage in Osaka" is also a deeper meditation on our obsession with celebrity, a long-standing human tradition and preoccupation that is as consuming today as it was centuries ago. The opulent costumes of the performers depicted in these prints demand public appreciation, as do their exaggerated expressions and heavily made-up faces. Each print glimmers with the undertones of its metallic pigments and brilliant color, inviting the spectator to approach it with interest and desire. These images are meant to be treasured and admired - as are the actors posing for them.
Not so different from our guilty rifles through People, is it?
