Taferelen in een bordeel c. 1840

This woodblock print, "Taferelen in een bordeel" or "Scenes in a Brothel", was created by Utagawa Kunisada. Notice how the composition is structured around a central staircase, dividing the space and directing the viewer's eye upwards through the establishment. The bold lines and blocks of color delineate figures in various states of activity, creating a dynamic tension. The architectural setting with its regular patterns of screens and wooden structures, provides a grid-like structure that contains the lively scenes of the interior. Consider how Kunisada uses this formal structure to convey a sense of layered space and complex social interactions. The print challenges conventional representation by intertwining public and private realms, thus destabilizing notions of social order and moral values. The artist uses the building's structure to comment on social constructs that are open to ongoing interpretation.