Ancient Poems (Waka) and Ebisu (One of Seven Lucky Gods): Events of New Year's Day with Kyōka (Waka Ebisu) Possibly 1789

Curator: Ah, this Utamaro print, "Ancient Poems and Ebisu," feels like a glimpse into a world both familiar and dreamlike. The figures are so elegantly arranged. Editor: It’s a mid-Edo period woodblock print, so the production involved a whole team, not just Utamaro. Think of the skilled artisans carving those blocks, applying the colors layer by layer. Curator: Yes, each element carefully placed, almost like a stage setting. And that central screen with the dragon…it pulls you in, doesn’t it? It’s so vibrant. Editor: The dragon is a visual cue, but consider the paper itself, the fibers, the dyes. Utamaro's images were commodities, made for consumption, reflecting societal values. Curator: I suppose so, but look at the expressions, the postures. Each figure seems lost in contemplation, or perhaps anticipation. Editor: Maybe they’re anticipating the next print run. The beauty of this piece is inseparable from the labor and materials that brought it into being. Curator: It's a thought-provoking way to look at art, indeed. I'll always be drawn to the figures themselves and to that beautiful dragon. Editor: Seeing the human involvement in the process helps me engage with it. It encourages me to think about what art does in the world.