Bag of Historical Treasures and People of Japan and China (Ehon shahō-bukuro), 10th of 10 Volumes Possibly 1770

Curator: Just look at this dynamic bull! I find this image so evocative. The woodblock print we’re looking at comes from a ten-volume series, "Bag of Historical Treasures and People of Japan and China," by Tachibana Morikuni, made sometime before his death in 1748. Editor: It does have a raw, untamed energy. The bull is beautifully rendered, even though it's almost monochromatic. I wonder what its presence meant to the people who first encountered this image? Curator: Well, consider the context of Japanese print culture. Books like these, accessible and relatively inexpensive, played a huge role in disseminating knowledge and shaping cultural attitudes. So, a bull like this might have represented agricultural prosperity or even a connection to the natural world. Editor: I like the idea of everyday people engaging with nature through art in their homes. Curator: Exactly! Morikuni created this artwork to both celebrate and instruct. He left behind a world seen through his eyes. Editor: And we get a glimpse of it, too.