Lecture at the Meiji Meeting Hall c. 1880

Curator: At first glance, I'm struck by the sheer density of the crowd, all those faces and hats compressed into this single space. Editor: Indeed. This is Adachi Ginkō's woodblock print, "Lecture at the Meiji Meeting Hall," part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. The print captures a pivotal moment of modernization in Japan. Curator: The Meiji era, right? You can almost feel the excitement in the air; that fervent desire for knowledge and change. The banners, those calligraphic forms, are they significant? Editor: Absolutely, the banners likely display slogans related to enlightenment or government policies. Note the stark contrast between the traditional attire and the Western suits; it mirrors Japan's complex cultural negotiation at the time. Curator: It speaks volumes about cultural identity in transition, that merging of old and new is such a potent symbol. Editor: Precisely. Ginkō captures the ambition of the era, laying bare the theater of political discourse. A reminder of the power of collective listening. Curator: Yes, a fascinating glimpse into how a society grapples with its future while holding onto its past.