THE COURTESAN SENZAN BLACKENING HER TEETH c. 1765 - 1770

Editor: This is Suzuki Harunobu's "The Courtesan Senzan Blackening Her Teeth," a print from the 18th century. The scene feels very intimate and quiet. What layers of meaning do you find within this domestic moment? Curator: Blackening teeth, ohaguro, was a fascinating ritual. It signified a woman's transition into adulthood and a specific social class. It’s a powerful symbol of beauty and status now lost to time. What feelings does it evoke in you? Editor: I'm struck by how a beauty practice can be so culturally specific and evolve so dramatically over time. It makes you wonder what norms of beauty today will seem peculiar centuries from now. Curator: Exactly! It serves as a reminder of how beauty standards are not universal truths but rather constructed and fluid concepts. Editor: I'll certainly reflect on that. Thanks for your insight.