Kabuki. Theatre, prints, fan culture

Since its inception in the early 17th century, Kabuki has captivated audiences with spectacular productions combining dance, music and the finest acting. Its plays tell tales of love and jealousy, of treacherous murders and family dramas, of loyalty and honour. In doing so, Kabuki theatre gave rise to a previously unknown cult of stardom, centred on the (male) actors adored by the audience, who portrayed both male and female roles on stage. At the same time, an urban visual culture emerged in Japan’s major cities, with the woodblock print as its most important medium.

The exhibition ‘Kabuki: Drama, Prints, Fan Culture’ brings together woodblock prints spanning over three centuries and drawn from various collections. It offers deep insights into the world of Kabuki theatre, whilst also highlighting the diversity of artistic expression in Japanese colour woodblock prints.

Artists such as Tōshūsai Sharaku (active 1794–1795) and Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865) were masters at capturing the charisma of famous actors, striking poses and dramatic moments on stage in artistically rendered images; in the 20th century, it was, amongst others, Natori Shunsen (1886–1960), a representative of the shin hanga movement, who created striking portraits of actors. The works of these artists continue to fascinate to this day and preserve those fleeting moments of Kabuki that existed on stage itself for only a brief time.

Last edited on 16.09.2026