Court Lady (Ono no Komachi?) Holding Fan Behind Sliding Door, with poem by Yukinoya Torikane Edo period,

Curator: This lovely woodblock print, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums, is attributed to Katsushika Hokusai, who was born in 1760 and died in 1849. The piece is titled "Court Lady (Ono no Komachi?) Holding Fan Behind Sliding Door, with poem by Yukinoya Torikane." Editor: It feels melancholic, somehow. The muted colors and the figure partially obscured by the door... there's a sense of isolation despite the decorative fan and rich patterns. Curator: Yes, I think Hokusai captured the complex social position of women in the court. The poem, too, likely speaks to themes of longing or perhaps unfulfilled potential. The materiality of the printmaking process, the woodblocks themselves, allowed for distribution and participation in a visual culture accessible to a broader public. Editor: It's interesting to consider how this small, intimate image circulated within the broader social and political context. It reveals a lot about taste, consumption, and the role of imagery in shaping perceptions of court life. Curator: Indeed. And it allows us to see the confluence of artistic production, literary tradition, and the material culture of Japan in the 19th century. Editor: A poignant glimpse into a world both alluring and confined.