Seven Gods of Good Fortune and Otafuku Celebrating New Year's from the series Prosperous and Harmonious Month (Fukutoku mutsumashi tsuki) Woodblock print (nishiki-e) triptych; ink and color on paper

Editor: This is "Seven Gods of Good Fortune and Otafuku Celebrating New Year's" by Kitagawa Utamaro, likely from the 18th century. It seems to depict a festive gathering, but the figures are quite unusual. What significance do these figures and their activities hold? Curator: Observe how Utamaro presents the deities not as distant figures, but integrated into a scene of earthly celebration. What does the inclusion of Mount Fuji in the background signify to you, beyond its literal presence? Editor: It must be a symbol of Japan itself, perhaps, or longevity? Curator: Precisely. Notice the presence of Otafuku, a deity of mirth. How does her inclusion alter your understanding of this gathering? Editor: It makes it feel more human, less rigidly divine. I see how all of these symbols work together to create a complex image of celebration.