Carrying a lantern sponsored by the Motozaimoku-cho, from the series "The Festival of the Sanno Shrine (Sanno gosairei)" 1780

Curator: This woodblock print by Torii Kiyonaga, created around 1780, is titled "Carrying a lantern sponsored by the Motozaimoku-cho, from the series 'The Festival of the Sanno Shrine (Sanno gosairei)'". Editor: It's immediately striking. The pale colors and the dynamic arrangement of the figures give it a lively, almost ethereal quality. The texture of the woodblock is quite apparent. Curator: Absolutely. Kiyonaga masterfully depicts the vibrant energy of Edo period festivals, offering a window into the cultural practices and social structures of the time. Notice how the clothing acts as a representation of status and gender roles. Editor: And it all begins with the materials, of course! Ukiyo-e prints were a collaboration, from the artist's design to the carver's skill to the printer's application of pigment and pressure. The black ink truly grounds it; its texture is so pronounced, really binding all together! Curator: Exactly, these collaborative aspects allowed for widespread accessibility, making it the art of the people. I wonder what sort of person could afford it back then, considering all the labor that goes into making just one copy. Editor: That focus on material access allows us to understand its broad reach as well! One thing that really pops out to me is the craftsmanship required to print the kanji. Each line on that banner would have to be absolutely perfect and pristine; otherwise, the whole sign would have to be done again! Curator: And those depictions of women… Consider the significance of their participation in the festival. How much of their representation within the cultural memory hinges upon works like these? The prints allow us a lens into the societal pressures and celebrations that existed during their lifetimes, the lantern being at the center and core to their culture, for a means of celebration and guidance. Editor: Seeing the entire manufacturing and circulation, you truly have a full view of the means by which those gender and labor divisions come into materialization. Kiyonaga really manages to integrate both material practice with meaningful identity for the participants in his prints. Curator: I find it a profound expression of shared cultural identity. Editor: A phenomenal way to bridge material and representation in an age of mass manufacturing.