Courtesan 

Curator: Here we have "Courtesan" by Katsushika Taito II, now residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The texture is what strikes me immediately – the way the colors and lines have been applied makes the figure look almost like it's emerging from the paper itself. Curator: Absolutely. When considering the social context of courtesans in Edo-period Japan, it's important to remember they were not simply objects of desire, but wielded considerable cultural and economic power. Editor: And this print itself becomes a commodity, doesn't it? The woodblock technique allowed for mass production, making images of these figures accessible to a wider audience, raising questions of labor and value. Curator: Precisely! The print invites a dialogue about the complexities of gender, class, and artistic representation. Editor: It’s a testament to the enduring power of art to capture fleeting moments and complex social realities.