De kleuren van de drie ochtenden 1787

Curator: It looks so tranquil, like a well-worn book of poems kept in a drawer filled with dried lavender. Is that too specific? Editor: Not at all. What we are seeing is the artwork “The Colors of the Three Mornings” crafted in 1787 by Torii Kiyonaga. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum, offering a glimpse into ukiyo-e printmaking. It appears to be the cover to an ehon or collection of color woodblock prints bound together to create an album or book. Curator: The floral design feels so intentional, you know? It's like Kiyonaga carefully planned where each petal should fall. It gives off this sense of gentle growth and understated beauty, wouldn't you say? Editor: Absolutely, the interplay of pattern and structure draws me in. Look closely at how the artist uses negative space between the blooms, which are textiles, and the title cartouche. There is a subtle depth and balance there, as if he's using the composition to speak softly. The text placement adds to this effect. Curator: It does look like he intentionally disrupts what could be a too repetitive pattern with it. This cover, or at least the colors in this image of the cover, speaks of muted joy to me. There’s a serenity here that really grabs you. What else do you think might influence our understanding, from a formal point of view? Editor: The texture of the paper itself is important to notice, its visible weave adds to the materiality of the artwork and contrasts with the smoothness often associated with prints. This detail elevates it, offering a rich visual and tactile experience to any close examination. Curator: It almost asks to be touched, like an old comforting quilt. I keep coming back to how timeless it seems. I could easily imagine this design printed again today, which shows the impact the patterns of textiles can still hold. Editor: Precisely, the ability of the artwork to generate continued admiration testifies the genius in composition and care evident through the image before us. It also tells the power of observing the quotidian and imbuing it with emotional depth. Curator: Well, I’ll certainly think about how everyday beauty elevates us, all thanks to a simple book cover, right? Editor: And I will observe how line, form, and structure all help create depth in two-dimensional planes of color and shape, each day after having studied this work.