Descending Geese for Bunshichi (Bunshichi no rakugan), from the series Eight Views of Elegant Gallants (FuryÅ« otokodate hakkei) c. 1781 - 1789

Editor: This is "Descending Geese for Bunshichi" by Katsushika Hokusai. It's a print, showing a man having his hair arranged. There's a domesticity to it, but also something melancholy. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's so intimate, isn't it? I imagine Hokusai observing a quiet moment, transforming something so everyday into a little drama. Those geese overhead feel like a metaphor, perhaps for fleeting beauty. It's a reminder that even in stillness, life is always moving on. Does that resonate with you? Editor: Absolutely. I hadn't considered the geese in that light, but it adds a whole new layer. Curator: Yes, Hokusai was a master of embedding subtle narratives. I wonder what Bunshichi was thinking in that moment. Editor: I’ll definitely look at Hokusai’s work differently now. Curator: Me too! It's funny how art keeps teaching us to see the world anew, isn't it?