from the illustrated book "Kachō gaden" 

Editor: Here we have a page from "Kachō gaden" by Katsushika Taito II, featuring two chickens rendered in delicate lines. It feels like there is a symbolic language here that I can't quite grasp. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Consider the chicken, often depicted in Edo-period art, not just as a farm animal but as a symbol of domesticity and even of protection, warding off evil spirits. How might that intersect with the depiction of nature? Editor: So, the flowers aren't just decorative. They reinforce that idea of harmony and protection? Curator: Precisely. And think about who had access to art. For women, especially, these images offered a connection to nature and a source of empowerment within limited social roles. It encourages us to ask: Whose stories are elevated, and whose are overlooked? Editor: That gives me a whole new perspective! It's more than just a pretty picture; it's a reflection of social structures.