Sumo Wrestler Tagonoura Tsurukichi Possibly 1866

Curator: I see such power here, yet tinged with unexpected tenderness, like a strong wind carrying the scent of cherry blossoms. Editor: I find myself immediately struck by the print’s robust composition, the sheer mass and form. Here we have Utagawa Kunisada II’s woodblock print, likely from 1866, titled "Sumo Wrestler Tagonoura Tsurukichi", currently held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Curator: Ah yes, Tagonoura. One can almost feel the weight of tradition, the sweat, and the roaring crowd in that stance. I wonder about the man beneath the wrestler, the hopes and dreams held within that powerful frame. And those colors, that red! It’s like a beating heart exposed, wouldn't you say? Editor: Indeed, that vibrant red draws the eye. It contrasts starkly with the surrounding blue ground and focuses attention on the symbolic apron with those prominent square designs. One immediately reads this choice of color and pattern to signify virility, wealth, and protective strength. Curator: Protective, certainly. But look at his face, a hint of vulnerability flickers there, a question mark in the midst of all that might. The art isn't just about showing raw energy but revealing something softer, even wistful. Do you get that too? Editor: While I acknowledge that the artist’s caricature approach certainly personalizes the wrestler’s appearance, it does not negate Kunisada's exploration of more classical tensions within the ukiyo-e genre; line versus plane, boldness versus fineness, symbolism against representation. The way the artist rendered textures, say the fringe of the mawashi, also tells us about this interplay between aesthetic form and design. Curator: You always bring me back to earth! Which I appreciate. Thanks. Yet looking once more into the subject's eyes I'm almost sure there's still the subtle shadow of dreams that flicker beyond what mere words, including ours, could ever frame! Editor: Dreams, and aesthetics, forever intertwined. That about sums up this masterly Utagawa Kunisada II woodblock.