Woman Carried Across Water in Palanquin (Harugeshiki musume dochu) c. 19th century

Curator: The Harvard Art Museums present Utagawa Kuninao’s woodblock print, "Woman Carried Across Water in Palanquin". Editor: The raw energy of those figures struggling through the water is remarkable; such intense, visceral emotion contrasts with the serene woman above. Curator: Indeed. Kuninao masterfully uses the palanquin as a dividing horizontal, a framing device. Note the flat planes of color and compressed space—classic ukiyo-e. Editor: It evokes a powerful class dynamic. The bearers, depicted almost demonically, versus the sheltered, leisurely passenger. It brings to mind ritualistic purification and passage. Curator: Perhaps. Or it might be read through the lens of Edo-period social structures—a commentary on obligation, duty, and the artist's unique approach to composition, particularly his bold use of line. Editor: Ultimately, these enduring symbols speak volumes across centuries. Curator: Yes, a confluence of form and symbol yielding a truly compelling work.