Mosquito Net (Kaya), from the series Model Young Women Woven in Mist (Kasumi-ori musume hinagata) c. 1794 - 1795

Curator: Up next, we have a paper print titled "Mosquito Net (Kaya), from the series Model Young Women Woven in Mist (Kasumi-ori musume hinagata)," by Kitagawa Utamaro. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the intimate quietness. The somber palette casts such a meditative light. Curator: Utamaro, working in the Late Edo period, captured the essence of feminine beauty, focusing here on line and composition. The mosquito net itself becomes a compositional element. Editor: It's like a veil, a screen—both obscuring and revealing. I wonder what conversations they are having in that space. Curator: Indeed, the gaze is intense, and their gestures appear frozen, timeless. Editor: Yes, there is something enduring in their pose. I imagine I will carry this feeling of wistful reflection with me today.