Ema by Kano Motonobu, Kamo Jinja, Tatsuno, Hyogo, Japan 

Editor: We are looking at "Ema by Kano Motonobu, Kamo Jinja, Tatsuno, Hyogo, Japan," made with tempera paint. It seems quite old, and I find the contrast between the pale horse and the more defined figure of the man leading it quite striking. What jumps out to you about the visual elements here? Curator: The deliberate simplification of form and color immediately captures my attention. Motonobu's approach involves a reduction of details, almost to the point of abstraction. Notice how the horse is rendered using broad planes of color, particularly in the body, which contrast to the sharper contouring used to define the human figure. Editor: Yes, the flat planes of color are hard to miss. But does the almost "incomplete" painting affect how we should consider this work? Curator: Precisely. Consider the surface's materiality and its apparent decay. The exposed wood grain and the chipped paint invite us to ponder the passage of time, a theme quite resonant in the tradition of 'wabi-sabi'. The surface isn't merely a ground; it becomes an active part of the work’s aesthetic identity, blurring the line between image and object. Are you beginning to observe how this fusion transforms our interpretation? Editor: Absolutely. The aging isn't a flaw; it enhances the artwork’s narrative, and changes my perception. The stark white of the horse seems less representational and more about the texture. It really plays with perception. I'm learning a lot about how technique and visual form drive meaning. Curator: Indeed. What once seemed simple is anything but, once you dig deeper.