Geheime affaire van een getrouwde man en een getrouwde vrouw 1799

Editor: This woodblock print, “Geheime affaire van een getrouwde man en een getrouwde vrouw” was created around 1799 by Kitagawa Utamaro and is now at the Rijksmuseum. It definitely is… direct. The composition feels very intimate with just these two figures and what appears to be a carefully composed setting. What catches your eye, what stands out to you in this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, Utamaro, always pushing boundaries with a wink and a nod. What I see is a snapshot of hidden desires, frozen in time. The swirling patterns of the kimonos create a delicious tension against the raw vulnerability of the moment. But notice the placement of that little bonsai! It's like Utamaro’s winking at us. Do you think it offers a commentary on cultivated beauty versus raw nature? Editor: I hadn't thought of the plant like that. It's interesting how Utamaro uses that juxtaposition to play with the themes. It almost seems like a commentary, not just on desire but also on the societal constraints around it. Curator: Exactly! And that’s the beauty of Utamaro, isn't it? He’s not just showing us a secret rendezvous, but the delicious transgression of it all. It makes you wonder, what secrets lie hidden beneath our own carefully arranged lives? Editor: It really makes you think about the complexities of human relationships and the stories hidden in plain sight. I learned so much by just looking closer and discussing its potential layers. Curator: Indeed, and maybe a little glimpse into the artist's hidden desires. Wonderful discussion.