Looking Disagreeable - The Appearance of a Young Lady from Nagoya During the Ansei era 

Curator: I’d like to introduce “Looking Disagreeable – The Appearance of a Young Lady from Nagoya During the Ansei era," a woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. It presents a fascinating example of ukiyo-e artistry. Editor: The title certainly primes one's expectations. My immediate impression is of muted splendor; the color palette isn’t overtly vibrant, yet the layering of textures within her garments speaks to both refinement and accessibility through printmaking. Curator: The woman’s gesture—an upraised hand, seemingly frozen—resonates with codified meaning. In Japanese dance, a slightly raised hand suggests suppressed feelings, or perhaps an apology. It adds nuance beyond that "disagreeable" aspect. Editor: I agree; there’s a studied control at play here that resonates even within the material limitations of the woodblock process. The gradations achieved in the textile patterns, in particular, draw me in. They feel carefully planned, each block informing the next in terms of layering color and texture. What type of textile are these patterns attempting to capture? Curator: The textile tells a story, a form of nonverbal communication itself. Floral patterns combined with geometric shapes and carefully placed emblems represent elements of the lady's social positioning as well as aesthetic taste, potentially indicating a family association, or her trade. But there’s more: floral themes often evoked seasonal connections—transience. Editor: Fascinating how such accessible materials – woodblocks, inks, paper – can evoke these sophisticated considerations of identity, status, and transience. To consider that a team of block carvers, printers, and publishers were all involved… that sense of collective production pushes against our contemporary cult of the individual artist. Curator: Indeed. And beyond those workshops of craft, the "disagreeable" aspect is also important; perhaps pointing toward social unease or resistance to strict societal conventions placed on women. A visual argument embodied and preserved via the accessible and reproductive process of woodblock printing. Editor: Exactly. What I first perceived as merely "muted splendor," after reflection, emerges as a powerful statement on the intricacies of craft, the burden of representation, and unspoken resistance, all carefully printed onto a sheet of paper. Thank you for this image.