Man met waaier 1823

Curator: Isn't this woodblock print just fabulous? There's such a whimsical air to "Man with Fan" by Totoya Hokkei. It was created in 1823 and resides right here in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: The fan gives me such a strange, languid feeling, but something in his eyes hints at inner tension, doesn't it? The pose is quite theatrical. Curator: Yes! Hokkei has given us a glimpse into the Ukiyo-e world, right? We have all these tantalizing clues – the fan, of course, the sword… they tell so much about a figure frozen in this little scene. I imagine a kabuki actor backstage, perhaps, just moments before going on. I also detect this touch of almost modern humor; did they see this character as something of a caricature? Editor: Right – and thinking about kabuki is vital. Remember, gender roles in kabuki and ukiyo-e prints are rarely straightforward; gender-fluid casting can become something like resistance in a society defined by strict hierarchical divisions. This feels deeply rooted in those anxieties. Curator: Absolutely. Even the floating cloud behind him, with this sort of abstract whirlpool shape in it – like a calligraphic flourish that refuses to resolve itself. I wonder what thoughts lie behind his melancholic mask, don't you? Or behind the layers of expectation upon his face. Editor: Those expectations, combined with that coiled emblem—like something rising or retracting, depending on your view. And what is the significance of his accoutrements being scattered around him on the floor? What choices are available, and who or what gets discarded on this man’s pathway? The prints offer more questions than answers about the historical identities of many subaltern and diasporic populations. Curator: I think that ambiguity is part of its magic, don’t you? It lets us reimagine the possible histories. It reminds me of when I played dress-up. I'm playing around; there are clues on the floor of a story about me. Editor: You're so right! Hokkei encourages us to see how culture can actively and dynamically rewrite how and what it portrays. A wonderful thought, if you want to muse while passing the next display!