#51 Scene from Act IV

This oban-format woodblock print from around 1935 illustrates Act IV of a theatrical work, likely from the kabuki or bunraku repertoire that Komura Settai frequently drew upon for his print designs. Settai brings his training as a book illustrator to the composition, framing the scene with a graphic designer's eye for negative space and dramatic placement of figures. The print reflects Settai's deep engagement with Edo-period literary and theatrical culture, which he reinterpreted through a modern sensibility shaped by his study of Art Nouveau and Western design principles. The flat color areas and strong outlines recall ukiyo-e convention while the spatial arrangement feels distinctly twentieth-century.