Poetry 1790

Editor: So, here we have Utamaro's "Poetry" from 1790, a print made with ink on paper, incorporating textiles. I'm really struck by how the calligraphy creates this very visual texture; it’s beautiful but, honestly, a little illegible to my untrained eye. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a deep connection to the means of production here. The very act of meticulously inscribing these poems, presumably by hand, onto the woodblock itself… we have to consider the intense labor involved in creating these prints. Consider the sourcing of the paper, the grinding of the inks... It moves beyond simple reproduction; it’s about material transformation through skilled labor. How do you think the repetitive nature of Ukiyo-e printing affects its status as ‘high art'? Editor: That's a really interesting point. I suppose, thinking about the volume of these prints that were produced, it democratized art production in a way. Curator: Precisely! The creation wasn't about individual genius, but the skilled coordination of craftspeople operating within a well-defined system of production and consumption. And what about the textiles referenced? Editor: The decorative border of the artwork calls attention to fabrics as commodity as well, like the print. Are we meant to compare the work that goes into producing a poem by hand and printed en masse, to other forms of artistry such as fabric creation, a field dominated by female labor? Curator: An intriguing connection, pointing towards how Utamaro is elevating the status of skilled craftsmanship that can easily be considered menial labor. Considering that poetry in itself could be seen as an art only accessed by a certain social class, Uramaro may have intended for this textile and ink printed artwork to make art accessible to all. Now that you mention this consideration, what does the concept of accessibility mean to you regarding this Ukiyo-e piece? Editor: Thinking about how materials and process give an additional level of value to something...it's transformed my view of this piece! Curator: And understanding the cultural contexts helps reveal how these elements elevate the everyday into something enduring and beautiful.