De mus schelp 1821

Katsushika Hokusai created this woodblock print, “De mus schelp,” sometime before his death in 1849. During the Edo period in Japan, Hokusai navigated a society marked by rigid social hierarchies and isolationist policies, all while creating art which frequently celebrated the transient nature of life. This print presents an intimate view into the world of an upper-class woman. We see a collection of personal items spilling from a lacquered box, suggesting a life of refined leisure. Consider the implications of the birdcage, juxtaposed with the two birds overhead. The box of collected items, including what look like theatre masks and fans, gives rise to questions about performance, identity, and the construction of the self within societal expectations. Does the birdcage stand as a symbol for the woman? While beautiful and well-appointed, is it also a space of confinement? This print invites us to contemplate the complexities of gender, class, and the yearning for freedom within the framework of 19th-century Japanese society.