Prostitute Reading a Letter c. 1750

Editor: Here we have Miyagawa Isshō's "Prostitute Reading a Letter," a hanging scroll made with ink and color on paper, dating back to around 1750. What strikes me most is how everyday this scene feels, even though the subject matter might seem exotic or distant. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, let's consider the materiality. It's not just ink and color, but specifically *what* inks and colors were available, *how* they were produced, and the kind of paper used. This determines the cost, the skill involved in application, and thus speaks to who could afford such a piece, and the level of patronage the artist had. Editor: That’s a good point. So, you are saying the material itself is almost telling us something about class and access at the time. Curator: Precisely. And think about the ukiyo-e tradition: its rise is intertwined with the merchant class, with a burgeoning economy. Woodblock prints made art more accessible. But here, a hanging scroll – requiring direct artistry – signals something different. Was this commissioned? For whom? Considering the title, are we invited to be voyeurs consuming the image of a working woman during her private time? What does it say about male desire, and the power dynamic involved? Editor: It makes you consider labor in its creation and depiction. I see that now. So it’s not just about a beautiful image, but about the whole system that produced and consumed it. Curator: Exactly! Think about the artist’s own labor, the craftsmanship involved, and what that labor meant in 18th century Japan. It all points towards production, exchange, and social hierarchies. Editor: I didn't really consider all those economic and social implications when I first looked at it. Thanks for that deeper perspective. Curator: My pleasure! These seemingly simple genre scenes offer so much when we start examining their materiality and the conditions of their making.