The Bugaku Dance Rindai c. 18 - 19

Curator: Looking at this shikishiban print now at the Harvard Art Museums, made by Takashima Chiharu around the late 18th century, titled "The Bugaku Dance Rindai," I'm immediately struck by its stillness. Editor: Yes, a quietness amidst what must be incredibly vibrant dance traditions. It’s a rather subdued palette, and he seems almost contemplative rather than mid-performance. Curator: Exactly. Bugaku was a court dance, highly ritualized and visually extravagant. I think Chiharu, working during the Edo period, is highlighting the artistic interpretation rather than a literal performance, thus emphasizing the dancer’s inner experience. Editor: It is almost dreamlike. It begs the question: is this a performance for an audience or a personal ritual? The calligraphy surrounding the dancer, is that poetry associated with the dance? Curator: It very well could be. The layering of text and image elevates the performance beyond mere entertainment. Editor: I think the quietness of the work draws me in more than any grand depiction could. Curator: Exactly, sometimes the quietest art speaks the loudest, don't you think?