The Third Month Possibly 1854 - 1857

Editor: So, this woodblock print, "The Third Month," is by Utagawa Kunisada, possibly created between 1854 and 1857. What strikes me is how the artist combined a fierce warrior with, what seems to me, a dreamy almost pastel color palette. It’s unexpected! How do you read this piece? Curator: "Unexpected" is a lovely way to put it. You see, with Kunisada, one can't just passively *look*. You have to enter into a bit of a dialogue. His works were popular prints, of course. They were almost like…the soap operas of their day, vibrant and relatable, meant to catch your eye in a bustling Edo marketplace. Look closer - what's going on with the figure tucked into the corner there? Editor: Is that a character study, a hint of theatrical backstory? The fellow peering out, plus what looks like a dog spirit attached to him, looks like something from a stage production. Curator: Precisely! The figure in armor is most likely in a kabuki actor. But look at the lines. The curves that describe the robes, the armor—Kunisada has an exceptional understanding of movement. What I find moving here is how it fuses bold color and theatrical bravado with an incredibly intimate, almost gentle, depiction of human character. See how those elements begin to create meaning together...what do you think he might be thinking about, behind that mask of stage makeup? Editor: That's an interesting idea! I hadn't really thought about it in terms of an emotional or character study, but more of just an action shot of this theatrical figure. Now I see more, though – this layered story within the portrait! Curator: That is why Ukiyo-e prints still enchant us now, and why studying art keeps the conversation going!