Kachō shashin zui (Album of birds and flowers) (vol.2) 1805 - 1827

Curator: Here we have a page from Kitao Shigemasa’s "Album of Birds and Flowers," a woodblock print from the late 18th century. Editor: It feels so peaceful, doesn’t it? The way the birds are rendered, especially the one bathing, gives a real sense of gentle movement. Curator: Shigemasa was quite interested in blurring the lines between the ukiyo-e tradition and natural history illustration. Look at the precision in depicting the bird’s plumage versus the almost abstract rendering of the water. Editor: Exactly, it’s not just pretty, it's an observation of nature, but seen through a craftsman's eye and hand. You can sense his love for the materials, the paper, the inks... Curator: And the commercial context, we can't forget. These albums were produced for a rising merchant class keen to display their refined sensibilities, consuming art as a mark of status. Editor: And yet, despite that potentially alienating intent, the work itself feels profoundly intimate, a quiet moment captured in ink and wood. Curator: It really does invite us to ponder our relationship with the natural world. Editor: Definitely, and maybe even with our own fleeting moments of joy.