Woman with Shamisen Reading c. early 1820s

Curator: This is "Woman with Shamisen Reading" by Yanagawa Shigenobu. Shigenobu was working in the late Edo period in Japan. Editor: She looks completely lost in thought, doesn't she? The way she holds that plectrum, poised… almost hesitant. Curator: Her pose invites us to consider the role of women as performers and consumers of culture during that time, when the arts were often intertwined with social status and expectations. Editor: The patterns in her kimono are so intricate—they almost seem to vibrate off the page. I wonder what melody she’s about to play. Is it joyful? Melancholy? Curator: The act of reading, even musical notation, was often a privilege linked to education and class, and how that intersected with gender. Her contemplation could be a challenge to existing power structures. Editor: It all comes together—the instrument, the script—to whisper a narrative of quiet agency. Curator: Exactly. It’s a beautiful distillation of artistry and self-expression. Editor: Yes, I will be thinking about her all day.