Woman in Summer Kimono Possibly 1920 - 1929

Curator: Hashiguchi Goyo's woodblock print, "Woman in Summer Kimono," now at the Harvard Art Museums, offers a striking study in material culture and representation. Editor: The way the kimono drapes feels so fluid, almost like she's been captured mid-pose, about to rise. Curator: Note the deliberate contrast between the patterned kimono and the plain background; the diamond shapes are echoed in the adjacent patterns. This speaks to the economics of production and consumption in early 20th-century Japan. Editor: It also speaks to the mood. The contrast feels like a gentle invitation, rather than a demand for attention. Curator: Indeed, the woodblock printing process, with its layers and careful registration, mirrors the layers of social and economic meaning imbued in the garment itself. Editor: Ultimately, it's the feeling of intimacy that lingers; the curve of her shoulder, the softness of the light, it's a moment of quiet contemplation. Curator: A moment shaped, inevitably, by the material conditions of its making and reception. Editor: And transformed into something timeless.