Female Sambasō Dancer c. mid 18th century

Curator: Here we have Torii Kiyohiro's "Female Sambasō Dancer," a captivating hashira-e print housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The tall, narrow format immediately draws my eye upwards. The delicate lines and muted palette give it an ethereal, almost dreamlike quality. Curator: Absolutely. Kiyohiro, active in the early to mid-18th century, was instrumental in popularizing this elongated pillar print format, often commissioned for display in domestic spaces. Editor: It makes you think about the material conditions, doesn't it? These prints weren’t just art objects; they were commodities, made for a specific market and a particular mode of consumption within the urban landscape. Curator: Precisely. The image of a female dancer also connects to the vibrant theater culture of the Edo period. Editor: Examining the woodblock printing, you see the intricate detail achieved through layering and the skill required to transfer the design onto the block, each print a product of collaborative labor. Curator: It is fascinating how these ephemeral moments in performance are immortalized. Editor: It gives us so much to think about regarding the relationship between art, craft, and everyday life.