Two Girls Looking Down at a Well, from the series Six Women Picture Book Match (Rokujo soshi awase), with poems by ShōfÅ«tei Morihito and an associate Edo period,

Editor: This print by Hokusai, "Two Girls Looking Down at a Well," is part of the "Six Women Picture Book Match" series. I’m struck by the delicacy of the colors. What can you tell me about the symbolism in this image? Curator: Consider the well itself. In many cultures, wells are not just sources of water, but symbolic portals. What might these women be seeking within its depths? Reflections of the future, perhaps? Editor: That's a great point. It makes me think about fortune-telling or even self-discovery. Curator: Exactly! And the placement of the women, their mirrored poses, reinforces the idea of reflection and introspection. It's a powerful visual metaphor. Editor: I see it now; their posture itself becomes part of the symbolic language. Thanks so much for this perspective. Curator: My pleasure. It is intriguing how Hokusai uses familiar images to evoke deeper meanings.