Erotische voorstelling c. 1678 - 1698

Editor: Here we have Hishikawa Moroshige’s *Erotische voorstelling* or "Erotic Scene," a Japanese woodcut print dating back to the late 17th century, housed right here at the Rijksmuseum. There’s a starkness to the black and white that amplifies the intimacy. What jumps out at you? Curator: Well, beyond the obvious, it’s the intentional framing I find fascinating. That bold inscription looms almost like a theatre backdrop, doesn't it? I'm drawn to consider if it softens the directness of the encounter or amplifies it somehow. Almost like the world's most ornate headboard, maybe! What do *you* feel it communicates? Editor: I hadn't considered it in that light - theatrical! I suppose it adds a layer of artifice, a constructed reality to the scene, but what about the placement of the figures themselves, and how their bodies are depicted? Curator: Ah, excellent question! Observe how Moroshige plays with line, simplifying form yet retaining dynamism. The absence of color forces our eye to dance along the contours, to interpret the spaces between. I also note, don’t you, the relatively impassive face of the figure underneath. Is it resignation? Bliss? Maybe a little bit of both! It asks us to think beyond conventional notions of eroticism, no? Editor: That's such an interesting interpretation. So much to take in, particularly regarding the expression on the lower figure's face! I'll certainly never look at another Japanese woodcut the same way again. Curator: Precisely! It’s about unpacking our own preconceived notions. Next time you are stuck on an idea, visit erotic art -- not for arousal, but for perspective! I knew that if we looked closely together, a fresh view was inevitable.