Beauty Reading, from the series FÅ«ryÅ« hokku Gosekku c. early to mid 19th century

Editor: This is Kikugawa Eizan's "Beauty Reading" - a Japanese woodblock print. I'm really drawn to the textures and patterns in her kimono. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: The labor involved in creating this print is really interesting. Think about the carving of the woodblocks, the layering of the colors, and the paper itself. These materials and processes speak to a culture of craft and consumption. Editor: That's a great point. How does that influence the meaning? Curator: The print becomes less about the individual beauty and more about the socio-economic context of its production and circulation. It reflects the values of the time. Editor: I never thought about it that way! Curator: Considering the materiality really shifts our understanding.