The Actor Yoshizawa Ayame I

18th century

Yoshizawa Ayame I (1673-1729) was one of the most famous onnagata (actors of women's roles) in the history of kabuki. From his debut on stage in the Kamigata (Kyoto-Osaka) theaters, he excelled in the portrayal of women. Later, in Edo, he achieved such perfection in his acting that new superlatives were invented to describe his skill in the annual actors' critiques (Yakusha hyobanki). Ayame once wrote that an onnagata should become as close as possible to a woman in his daily life in order to portray his character more convincingly. Wearing an elegant kimono decorated with a pattern of pine branches, the actor sits on an outdoor bench holding a sprig of blossoming plum. A broken fan and scattered blossoms are strewn at his feet beside a sake cup, an ewer, and a tray of food.