Het is goed om de eerste boottocht te maken c. 1822

Curator: Imagine this: you are on the cusp of adventure, about to embark on something for the first time. Perhaps a little hesitant, a little excited... That’s the feeling I get when I look at Totoya Hokkei’s "Het is goed om de eerste boottocht te maken," a woodblock print from around 1822 in the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It does seem to capture that quiet anticipation. The woman in the print is surrounded by cushions, with Japanese text around the borders... What story do you think Hokkei is trying to tell with this piece? Curator: I think Hokkei's captured a sense of restrained energy. Note the floral pattern on her kimono: blue and red blossoms, pops of color in a muted palette, hints of the joys awaiting. Even the curve of her hairstyle whispers of movement, right? It makes me wonder about the "first boat trip" mentioned in the title – is it a literal voyage, or perhaps a metaphor? What do you think the text might reveal? Editor: The text does make me wonder… Does it offer clues to her destination, or perhaps describe her feelings? Is she nervous or eager? Curator: I can't read the Japanese script fluently, sadly, but the presence of poetry, which is what I suspect it is, suggests this is more about inner reflection. Hokkei is inviting us to share in this private, almost sacred moment of transition, wouldn't you agree? Ukiyo-e prints so often freeze these everyday observations so that we too may be party to a moment so tender and timeless. Editor: That’s a lovely way to put it - the art turning an intimate moment into a shared experience. Curator: Precisely. Isn't it beautiful how a simple woodblock print can hold such depth, transforming mundane moments into something so universally felt? Editor: It definitely makes me look at the print, and even anticipate any sort of first experience in my own life, in a totally different way. Thanks!