Nara Brocades 1902

Curator: Arthur Wesley Dow created this fascinating print, "Nara Brocades," sometime around 1902, now held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It strikes me as quite serene, almost like a faded memory captured in these simple blue blocks. Curator: Dow was deeply influenced by Japanese art, particularly the concept of notan, the balance of light and dark. You see it here in the contrast of the blue blocks against the beige paper. The motifs themselves are also drawn from Japanese textile patterns. Editor: Textiles can communicate so much about a culture. Brocades, in particular, speak to status and artistry. What does the repetition of these symbols evoke for you? Curator: I read the tree-like form as a symbol of growth and resilience, while the lower pattern reminds me of stylized clouds, perhaps representing the ephemeral nature of beauty. Dow used these symbols to create a sense of harmony, reflecting the spiritual ideals often associated with Japanese art. Editor: It's remarkable how Dow distills complex cultural meanings into these pared-down forms. Curator: Indeed, he uses simple forms to connect us to deeper cultural memories.