Triptych: Arranging Flowers (Ikebana), from the series The Appearance of Upper-Class Women of the Edo Period (Tokugawa jidai kifujin no sugata) Possibly 1900

Editor: This is "Triptych: Arranging Flowers (Ikebana), from the series The Appearance of Upper-Class Women of the Edo Period" by Yoshu Chikanobu. It's a vibrant print, and the women seem very poised. What do you see as significant about this depiction? Curator: This triptych offers a glimpse into the lives of women during the Edo period, but through a carefully constructed lens. How does the act of arranging flowers, a cultivated pastime, reinforce or subvert societal expectations for women of the upper class? Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't thought about it as potentially subversive. Curator: Consider also the role of "beauty" in maintaining social hierarchies. Does the pursuit of beauty, like flower arranging, empower or confine these women? What are your thoughts? Editor: I guess it's both. It's a skill, but it's also limiting. This makes me think differently about it. Curator: Exactly. Examining the intersection of gender, class, and artistic expression allows us to deconstruct idealized representations.