Fujiwara clan : de parels van eb en vloed en de Fujiwara zeis c. 1890 - 1900

Editor: Here we have a fascinating woodblock print, created between 1890 and 1900, entitled "Fujiwara clan: de parels van eb en vloed en de Fujiwara zeis", currently residing in the Rijksmuseum. While attributed to Katsushika Hokusai, this ukiyo-e piece feels rather...peculiar, doesn't it? Those enormous, almost hypnotic, orbs sitting atop what seems like a draped cloth and strangely formed legs… what's your take? Curator: Oh, this isn't your typical Hokusai wave, is it? But it's utterly captivating! It tickles my imagination. Forget perfect representation. Here, it feels like we've stumbled into a playful dreamscape, or maybe even a kabuki stage trick revealed mid-performance. Do you see how the flowing garment, draped rather haphazardly, contrasts so sharply with those staring, almost celestial eyes? Editor: Yes, that contrast is definitely striking! I was also trying to discern the legs and figure out their origin. What exactly are we looking at here? Curator: That, my friend, is the enigma! Perhaps we are witnessing the artistic license employed to portray a deity. The "pearls of ebb and flow" hint at something profound. Also the disembodied form is symbolic. Notice the text around the figure? Think of these figures as poems made visual, layered with meaning, like a riddle wrapped in silk. What story do *you* think they are hinting at? Editor: A story…of powerful forces barely contained? There's definitely something unsettling yet beautiful about that. I suppose context really does transform observation. Curator: Absolutely! This print invites us not just to see, but to *feel* and wonder. It asks us to dive deeper into the narrative…to engage actively in storytelling. I feel a renewed appreciation for ukiyo-e pieces that embrace the weird. Editor: Indeed, it is a piece to savor and contemplate. Thanks so much for your insights!