Ebisu flirting with a courtesan, no. 3 from a series of 12 prints c. 1708

Curator: Looking at Okumura Masanobu’s print, "Ebisu flirting with a courtesan," made around 1708, I’m struck by the raw energy captured in simple lines. It’s a story unfolding. Editor: Absolutely! The immediacy of it is amazing, as if it were a sketch from life. I feel the tactile weight of its history—and a touch of sly humor, despite its, er, directness. The balance is almost like controlled chaos. Curator: Tell me about the symbolism you see in that balance. Ebisu, you know, is one of the Seven Lucky Gods, often depicted with a fish. This whole scene feels… well, quite far from divinity. Editor: Ah, but that’s precisely the tension, isn’t it? He’s associated with prosperity, fishing, trade—essentially, earthly rewards. So placing him in a flirtatious, very human situation plays on that idea. It acknowledges the everyday desires even deities might indulge in. And that fish... its eye seems to say it all, doesn’t it? Like a witness. Curator: I suppose that fishing pole really underscores the themes of fortune and attraction, in that case. Plus the musical instruments: her shamisen and his… enthusiasm, hint at an almost competitive performance of desire. Editor: The instruments point to something deeper. Music often signifies harmony, or the attempt at it, in human relations. Her elegance contrasted with his unbuttoned shirt makes them all too human—maybe a meeting of the spiritual and physical realms. It reminds us, this playful snapshot in time, that even desire is loaded with symbols and expectations. Curator: It does have a strange, enduring vitality—doesn’t it—offering a lens into a fleeting, intimate moment of everyday life. I can certainly get on board with the interpretation of that visual contrast! Editor: Yes, it's a potent reminder that stories about fortune, beauty, and pleasure continue to fascinate. Masanobu created not just an image but a stage for viewers to recognize universal human drives and social meanings in something as brief as a passing glance.