Poet Ki no Tomonori (c.845-905) from page 12A of the printed book of "Thirty-Six Immortal Poets" (SanjÅ«rokkasen), Kōetsu edition c. 1610

Editor: This is Hon'ami Kōetsu's woodblock print of Ki no Tomonori, from the Thirty-Six Immortal Poets series. The figure feels so self-contained, almost melancholic. What do you see here? Curator: I see a carefully constructed representation of power and cultural identity. How does Kōetsu, centuries later, choose to portray this poet, and what does it say about the evolving role of poets and their relationship to the state and society? Editor: That's fascinating. So, you're saying the image is not just about the poet, but about the cultural values attributed to him? Curator: Precisely! Consider how the calligraphic text interacts with the image, shaping our understanding of the poet's legacy, and the artist's interpretation of that legacy. Editor: I never thought about it that way. It's like the poem, the poet, and the artist are all in conversation across time. Curator: Exactly! And that conversation is ongoing, continuing with us today.