Asazuma-bune 1793

Curator: Asazuma-bune, a woodblock print crafted around 1793 by Kitagawa Utamaro, invites us to reflect on the representation of women in Ukiyo-e art, now held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Three figures—softly colored, faces gentle. I see a quiet conversation; it feels very intimate, doesn’t it? Like peeking into a private moment shared amongst friends. Curator: These women inhabit the floating world—they are courtesans. Utamaro often challenged norms, and his focus here allows us to unpack societal structures and gender dynamics of Edo-period Japan. How are women both empowered and constrained by their social roles? What gazes are in play? Editor: Gosh, the woman in green reminds me of this quirky shop owner I knew. She had a crazy hat obsession! See that elongated hat; what’s the deal with it anyway? Does the shape suggest power? I bet wearing it you’d have to throw your head back as you’d enter a room, kind of intimidating, really! Curator: Hats such as this are signifiers of occupation and fashion. Examining these markers allows us to dive into social hierarchy, tracing how fashion becomes both an expression of identity and a tool of class distinction. Who dictates these trends? Editor: Did they just wear what they wanted or what? I mean, it seems liberating but kinda enforced at the same time, doesn't it? Do you think these women knew they were immortalized as art… and now analyzed centuries later?! Curator: These images circulated among the pleasure quarters’ clientele. We might consider who had access to these representations and what ideological work they performed. Considering art from a political perspective shows us how art influences and mirrors power and subversion, Editor: Fascinating! Thinking of power, if you saw it without knowing that historical stuff, it just looks like a calming portrait—kind of sweet! These women and this era keep popping into today. It seems like they're reminding us: hey, remember history. Or else! Curator: Indeed. Looking closer at the piece in this way, allows us to be more aware of history repeating itself.