Bag of Historical Treasures and People of Japan and China (Ehon shahō-bukuro), 1st of 10 Volumes Possibly 1770

Editor: Here we have a page from "Bag of Historical Treasures and People of Japan and China," one of ten volumes by Tachibana Morikuni. It looks like a woodblock print. It's incredibly detailed. What strikes you when you look at this page? Curator: I'm immediately drawn to the contrasts – the wild, almost precarious natural setting versus the figure calmly writing. It's as if she's drawing power from that landscape. I wonder, is she creating history or simply recording it? It’s a fascinating dance between order and chaos, don’t you think? Editor: Absolutely. I never thought of it that way, but it definitely adds another layer to the book. Curator: Indeed. It makes you question the artist's own position in relation to the story being told. Art reflecting life reflecting art, in an endless loop.