THREE FIGURES 

Curator: This is Utagawa Kunisada's "Three Figures." What strikes you about this print? Editor: The intricate patterns and textures are beautiful. What does this scene tell us about the social dynamics of the time? Curator: Precisely. Kunisada was known for depicting Kabuki actors and scenes from daily life. Consider the power dynamics at play. Who holds the umbrella, and what does that signify about gender roles and class distinctions? Editor: So, the umbrella becomes a symbol of status and perhaps even protection within a patriarchal structure? Curator: Exactly. It invites us to question the representation of women and their roles in 19th-century Japanese society. Editor: I hadn't considered the umbrella in that way before. Thanks for that perspective. Curator: It's always rewarding to unearth how art reflects and challenges social norms.