Triptych: Women by Verandah (Harusame no kei) 

Curator: This is Utagawa Kunisada's "Triptych: Women by Verandah (Harusame no kei)," created at an unknown date. The piece, a woodblock print, resides at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's gorgeous! The pastel colors create a sense of quiet intimacy and the details of daily life offer a glimpse into the lives of these women. Curator: Indeed. Kunisada was a leading printmaker of the Utagawa school. This triptych is illustrative of his focus on the lives of women and the cultural significance of the pleasure districts in Edo-period Japan. We should consider the social roles of the women depicted here. Editor: Absolutely. It's important to contextualize these images, and understand how gender, class, and even sexuality were negotiated within the art market and visual culture of the time. Curator: Kunisada's prints helped shape perceptions of women and popular culture in his era. He presents a constructed, idealized view, but they offer insight into the lived experiences of some women. Editor: Looking closely, I wonder what stories and identities are concealed beneath the surface of the art. It's a challenge to interpret these images through a modern lens, but the glimpse into the past is enriching. Curator: It's truly illuminating to see how these artworks provide a lens to analyze our own contemporary values and biases.