Ono no Komachi Holding an Incense Burner/ from the series Go Kasen, with poems by Taizanrō Sakanoue no Takamichi and Shakuyakutei c. 1820s

Editor: This is Hokusai’s "Ono no Komachi Holding an Incense Burner" from the series Go Kasen. I'm really drawn to the intricate patterns and the subdued colors. What strikes you most about the formal elements of this print? Curator: The tension created by the flat picture plane and the implied volume of the figure intrigues me. Note the masterful use of line to define form, yet how the composition embraces a deliberate flattening. How does this duality affect your perception? Editor: It makes it feel very stylized, almost like a beautiful tapestry. I hadn't noticed that tension before. Curator: Precisely. The considered arrangement of the color blocks, too, invites us to appreciate their intrinsic qualities rather than solely their representational function. Editor: That's a great way to look at it. It's more about the relationships between the shapes and colors than just the image itself. Curator: Exactly. Studying how the artist uses visual language gives us such deep insight. Editor: Thanks! I'll definitely look at prints differently now.