Koto, from the series Three Friends (San'yÅ«) 

Editor: Here we have Teisai Hokuba's "Koto, from the series Three Friends", an intriguing print. It feels quite intimate. What social dynamics might be at play here? Curator: Precisely. Consider the historical context: Hokuba, working in the late Edo period, was depicting women in a society undergoing rigid class stratification. Their attire, the koto itself—all speak to a very particular, privileged social standing. Editor: So, the artwork comments on class and gender? Curator: Absolutely. These women are not merely being represented, they are performing a role *within* the confines of a patriarchal society. The ‘Three Friends’ series title prompts us to ask: who defines friendship? And what power dynamics shape their interactions? Editor: That reframes how I see the artwork; it's not just a portrait but a commentary on societal structures. Curator: Exactly! It pushes us to consider art as a space where social and political identities are both performed and questioned.