No. 12, from the series Primary Education: Manners for Women, Explained in Pictures (Shōgaku joreishiki zukai) c. 1882

Curator: This is No. 12 from Adachi Ginko’s series, "Primary Education: Manners for Women, Explained in Pictures." Editor: My first impression is how meticulously this interior space is rendered; it feels quite performative. Curator: Indeed. The composition is fascinating, observe how the arrangement of figures creates a rhythmic pattern with their bowing gestures. The color palette, while restrained, emphasizes the contrast between the vibrant red table and the subdued tones of the women's kimonos. Editor: And note the labor involved in creating this image, from the woodblocks used to the dyeing of paper, all to reinforce certain cultural norms. Each woman performing prescribed etiquette in a constructed space. Curator: Precisely. The inscribed text above could be considered a framing device that supports the image. It's a lesson written by the hand of the same artisan who carved the images. Editor: It's interesting how a single image can suggest so much about not only its aesthetic qualities, but the societal values and means of production that birthed it. Curator: A fine point; I appreciate the dialogue between form and culture that the work enables.