Aalscholver vissen bij nacht 1800 - 1810

Editor: We’re looking at “Aalscholver vissen bij nacht,” or Cormorant Fishing at Night, a woodcut print by Katsukawa Shunsen, made sometime between 1800 and 1810. It feels very staged and theatrical to me, like a play almost, but with a somewhat dark and dangerous theme. What is your take on this scene? Curator: This work reflects the Ukiyo-e tradition, showcasing scenes of everyday life, yet the picturesque quality shouldn't obscure its historical context. Cormorant fishing wasn't merely a quaint pastime. The fishing method using cormorants has a long history and it represents a complex relationship between humans, animals, and the natural resources they both depend on. Who has access to these resources, and how that access is portrayed visually, carries significant social meaning, don’t you think? Editor: So you’re saying there might be a deeper social commentary hidden within this beautiful print? Curator: Precisely. The very act of portraying cormorant fishing elevates it to a subject worthy of artistic representation, shaping public perceptions. Moreover, Ukiyo-e prints were commodities traded and consumed. By viewing this image, are we romanticizing or acknowledging the realities of this industry at the time? How do you think the commodification of these images influenced both the artists and the wider audience? Editor: I hadn't thought about the audience so much before. Knowing these were sold and traded adds a new layer of complexity. It moves it from just an aesthetic appreciation to thinking about the wider economic structure that supported the artwork. Curator: Exactly! It compels us to investigate the artist's position, and the forces shaping the demand and distribution of these images and how power operates through representations of labor. What an image chooses to highlight or obscure reveals much about its moment. Editor: Wow, I never would have thought about the socio-political angle of this piece, I was so focused on the aesthetic! Thank you for broadening my perspective!