No. 15, from the series Magic Lantern Slides of That Romantic Purple Figure (Sono sugata yukari no utsushi-e) c. 1847 - 1855

Curator: Oh, this is Utagawa Kunisada’s "No. 15, from the series Magic Lantern Slides of That Romantic Purple Figure," housed right here at Harvard. I'm always struck by its dreamlike quality. Editor: Yes, the first thing that grabs me is the printmaking itself. Notice the layering, the meticulous registration of colors. What sort of papers and inks would have been employed here, I wonder? Curator: Ah, the romantic figure! I believe this alludes to the popular kabuki actor, as Kunisada often incorporated those popular images into his art. It’s a world of theatre and longing. Editor: Exactly, Kunisada was deeply involved in the commercial print industry. The woodblocks and the labor required speak volumes about the intersection of art and economy during his time. Curator: The moon hangs high. There are birds and little yellow flowers. How Kunisada uses the natural world to color and shade these magic lantern slides, or memories. Editor: Indeed, the materials themselves contribute to the sense of time and place. The way the ink settles into the paper, the slight imperfections of the woodblock. Curator: It all speaks of another world. Another time. Editor: A physical and economic world, shaped by the means of its production.