Wanting to Get a Discount (Makete moraitai)/Veranda Planks from Ōsumi Province (Ōsumi kureita), from the series Auspicious Desires on Land and Sea (Sankai medetai zue) Possibly 1852

Curator: Utagawa Kuniyoshi's woodblock print, "Wanting to Get a Discount," strikes me as rather theatrical; a blend of the everyday and something much more staged. Editor: Indeed. I'm immediately drawn to the meticulous rendering of the woman's striped kimono, a testament to the textile production of the era and its accessibility. Curator: And observe how the seemingly mundane act of buying veranda planks from Ōsumi province is elevated by the symbolic weight. The plants, the tools, the figures in the background... Editor: Are those representations of laborers actually wanting to sell? The work's title casts the whole scene in a light of negotiation and commerce. Curator: I interpret the scene as a broader commentary on desires, a play on auspicious themes within the series "Auspicious Desires on Land and Sea." Editor: Well, for me, the print is a fascinating insight into the material culture and labor practices within 19th-century Japan, far beyond simple good fortune. Curator: An interesting perspective. The visual cues certainly leave plenty to consider. Editor: Absolutely. A confluence of factors went into creating this singular print, and all are worth examining.