Three Women Dining Before a Group of Trees 1769 - 1825

Curator: Look at this vibrant print, "Three Women Dining Before a Group of Trees," crafted by Utagawa Toyokuni I between 1769 and 1825. What's your initial reaction? Editor: It’s striking! The stark contrast of the elaborate garments against the muted backdrop feels almost dreamlike. The way they're positioned, especially that central figure, leaning back… It almost feels performative, not exactly a natural moment. Curator: That performative aspect resonates deeply with the world of Ukiyo-e, 'pictures of the floating world'. This wasn’t simply about depicting reality; it was about curating an ideal, a vision of beauty and pleasure. Consider the materiality itself – a woodblock print, carefully carved and then reproduced. There's a labor intensive element there. Editor: Yes, precisely. The visible woodgrain adds another layer – a reminder of the artist's hand, even through a commercial medium. What I find interesting, too, is how the figures dominate the frame. You’d think with the title about "trees", more attention would have been paid to this context. The production focuses on presenting the status and identity of women, but at the expense of natural scenes and other forms of labor. Curator: Absolutely, it almost feels claustrophobic, doesn't it? Trapped in their own exquisite world. It really draws your focus onto their expressions, which are ambiguous, intriguing… Each woman has their role: the one serving, the one indulging, and the one seemingly lost in her own thoughts. It sparks my imagination—a snapshot of leisure, perhaps intertwined with loneliness. Editor: That's interesting, a manufactured moment, though for whom, I wonder? Certainly those consumers buying these prints could buy a slice of this leisure experience, and reflect on its economic underpinnings. How interesting too to note the color application – watercolor washes giving the scene its life. Each step, each medium feeds our own consuming gaze as an artwork. Curator: Right, we each bring our own gaze, informed by different perspectives and backgrounds. The print manages to speak to this interplay of pleasure and labor. Editor: I agree. I think considering these tangible choices – the print medium, the vibrant colours – deepens my experience with this captivating work.