Vier geisha's vergezellen twee mannen tijdens het eten in een theehuis in Japan c. 1896 - 1906

Kōzaburō Tamamura made this print of geishas and men eating in a teahouse in Japan, and right away, what gets me is how he’s using color to map out the space. See how the soft, desaturated tones create a mood that’s both intimate and a little distant? It's like a memory, faded at the edges, but the details—the patterns on the kimonos, the glint of the sake cups—are still so clear. Look at the way the light falls across the tatami mats, how it makes the whole scene feel quiet, almost suspended in time. It’s funny, because it reminds me of Bonnard, how he used color to evoke feeling. Tamamura does something similar here, using a muted palette to create a sense of calm and contemplation. It’s a scene that invites you to linger, to imagine the conversations, the laughter, the silent exchanges happening around that low table. Art’s just one long conversation, you know?