The Sixth Month

Curator: I find myself immediately drawn in by the somber stillness that pervades Hokusai's "The Sixth Month." There's a quiet dignity amidst what appears to be either profound sadness or perhaps simply weariness. Editor: Indeed. This captivating print, a woodblock made with ink and color dating back to around 1793, captures a specific moment, a scene from everyday life known as a genre painting, very characteristic of Ukiyo-e. It is held here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Curator: Ukiyo-e, “pictures of the floating world.” I see reflections of Buddhist teachings right here. This temporal reality with ephemeral pleasures, these transient human relationships… I notice how each of the women is connected by horizontal lines suggesting shared experiences and interdependence. It evokes a palpable atmosphere of contemplation on the nature of fleeting existence. Editor: I am very interested in that. To the average viewer of these kinds of images back then, it would portray common gender dynamics or interactions, or perhaps reflect on class structure through dress, environment, or context. However, for a trained critical eye the horizontal poles that traverse from the upper women to the lower represent class barriers. It feels staged almost as a commentary on socio-economic dynamics in Japan at the time. Curator: Staged yes, but with such deliberate compositions to hint to larger psychological implications. These women carry with them collective memories of ritual, religion, commerce and history! See their gestures—downcast gazes carry emotional resonance transcending cultures. And then that dark almost funereal umbrealla...it certainly isn't joyful. Editor: Absolutely. Woodblock prints like these had profound societal effects. These artworks were able to widely disseminate certain beliefs, ideologies, tastes and ways of viewing the world, thus becoming a cultural tool that shaped, not only portrayed, society. Curator: It certainly underscores how art serves as powerful medium through which we both remember, and shape, a society. Editor: Yes, and to analyze a single print as a key to the intricacies of Japan and its history—quite an intriguing thought.