Het is goed om een vrouw te nemen c. 1822

Curator: Here we have Totoya Hokkei’s print, "It is good to take a wife", dating from around 1822. This work, housed in the Rijksmuseum, is a woodblock print, showcasing the Ukiyo-e style so popular in its time. Editor: The title… and yet it's the stillness of the composition that really strikes me first. A kind of expectant pause, as if she’s considering the implications herself. The muted palette lends a gentle thoughtfulness to the piece. Curator: Yes, the print is particularly interesting from a production standpoint. These Ukiyo-e prints were not the singular work of an artist but involved a whole system of labour – the artist, the block cutter, the printer, and the publisher, each playing a critical role in the final product and its distribution. Editor: A collective creation then, intriguing. It makes you wonder about the individual hand within a supposedly unified aesthetic. Is there a ghostly fingerprint of the cutter, or printer woven within the woman's robe perhaps? The floral design on it does seem unusually vibrant against the subtle background. Curator: The kimono, rendered through the meticulous carving and layering of pigments on the woodblocks, certainly highlights the materiality involved. Consider too the economic and social context: who could afford such prints, what messages did they convey about beauty standards and marital ideals, and how did this imagery circulate within a rapidly changing Edo society? Editor: That brings another layer of emotion to it. Beyond the obvious presentation of the subject, I think about what it meant to acquire and possess such art during the Edo period. An early form of advertising then? "Buy our art and fulfill your domestic expectations.” Curator: Precisely, the print functioned within a complex system of patronage, production, and consumption, and understanding this history is crucial to appreciating the work's meaning. Editor: Looking at it through that lens makes it even more evocative. It is a conversation starter for those considering marriage – a tiny woodblock whispering across centuries. Curator: A valuable perspective to have for considering Hokkei’s work; a synthesis of technique, subject matter, and socio-historical relevance. Editor: Leaving me pondering, as always.