Beauties of the Three Capitals: Edo (right), Kyoto (center), and Osaka (left) c. 1729

Editor: So this woodblock print, "Beauties of the Three Capitals: Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka," made around 1729 by Torii Kiyomasu II… I’m struck by the stylized representation of these women and the rather flat perspective. It almost feels like a stage set. What sort of symbolic readings can we find in an image like this? Curator: Precisely. The "stage set" feeling is crucial. Notice how the figures are placed against what appear to be doorways or stalls, each adorned with signage. Ukiyo-e, the “pictures of the floating world,” captured fleeting moments of pleasure, and often depicted women of the pleasure districts. Editor: So these women are symbols of their respective cities, almost like cultural ambassadors? Curator: In a way, yes. Consider the repetition of the cartouche with swirling shapes which may be shop signs or family crests called "kamon," often symbols of identity and status. Ask yourself: what emotional or social aspirations do you think these carefully arranged visual signifiers might convey? It is a visual mnemonic; a coded message about the qualities, virtues or even temptations one may find in each city. The viewer would immediately associate the garments, hairstyles, and settings with specific locations and their unique cultural offerings. Editor: I see it now! So the details aren’t just decorative; they are loaded with cultural information, memories of those places, their status, and their associations. It’s more than just a pretty picture. It is social commentary, almost a consumer guide! Curator: Exactly. By understanding the symbolic language of the time, we gain insight into the desires, the cultural memory, and the very pulse of early 18th century Japan. What do you make of the choice of just three cities, specifically? Editor: It’s fascinating to think how much more there is to see beyond just the surface! Now, each time I look at it I will now question the meaning beyond what my eye perceives on initial viewing. Curator: That is precisely what art should do; prompt questions, prompt memory and invite emotional or personal connection to symbols from distant lives.