Soga brothers (Soga Kyōdai: Soga monogatari), from the series Twenty-Four Japanese Paragons of Filial Piety for the Honchō Circle (Honchōren honchō nijÅ«shikō), with poems by Hana Someemon and Harunoya Narutake c. 1821 - 1822

Curator: This woodblock print by Yashima Gakutei, part of the series "Twenty-Four Japanese Paragons of Filial Piety," depicts the Soga brothers. The piece currently resides in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the intensity, the feeling that something huge is about to happen. There's a palpable tension in their stances. Curator: The Soga brothers are legendary figures, known for avenging their father's death. Gakutei cleverly uses the large banners to create a sense of dramatic anticipation and confinement, emphasizing their burdened destiny. Editor: It's so striking how the banners almost cage them in! You feel their rage but also a sense of duty... did the ideals of filial piety give them strength, or trap them in a cycle of violence? I wonder. Curator: Considering the historical context, the print likely served to reinforce the social values of loyalty and familial obligation. The Soga brothers became symbols of righteous revenge. Editor: The image and its narrative linger in the mind long after viewing. Revenge, duty, honor... the push and pull of it all, captured in a single, powerful image.