Woman Running to Escape a Sudden Shower c. 1765

Curator: Here we have Suzuki Harunobu’s "Woman Running to Escape a Sudden Shower," a woodblock print in the collection of the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a chūban size, so fairly intimate in scale. Editor: It looks like a fleeting moment. The diagonal rain and her frantic gesture create a feeling of immediacy, like she’s been caught off guard. I wonder, do you feel an invitation to participate in her escape? Curator: The umbrella becomes a shield, doesn’t it? The image is charged with symbols of transition, from a peaceful stroll to a frantic run, from dry to soaked. It speaks to the impermanence of our best-laid plans. Editor: Right! And that umbrella—such a simple form, yet it becomes a stand-in for protection, a little personal haven against the downpour. Maybe we need to think about how often we search for these havens. Curator: It's a lovely meditation on the unexpected, and the grace with which we sometimes handle it. Editor: Exactly. It reminds us that beauty can be found even in the midst of a sudden shower—or whatever that shower represents in our own lives.