SIX IMMORTAL POETS (ROKKASEN), one each by six Katsukawa school artists 

Curator: This is "Six Immortal Poets (Rokkasen)," a collaborative work by six artists from the Katsukawa School. The scene presents a gathering, quite informal it seems. Editor: Informal indeed, but note how each figure is carefully placed, creating a dynamic rhythm across the composition. The muted palette evokes a sense of quiet contemplation. Curator: Quiet, but also commercially viable. The Katsukawa School churned out these popular images for consumption by a rising merchant class. Editor: And yet, the technical skill in rendering fabrics, the controlled lines that define each poet’s character... Curator: Skill certainly put to work for profit. What do you make of the printmaking process itself in relation to wider artisanal production? Editor: Fair, but the formal interplay between the figures and their garments is undeniably compelling. It's an exercise in balancing form and content. Curator: A balance struck, ultimately, to satisfy a growing market for art. Editor: I suppose there are worse things than the democratization of beauty. Curator: Perhaps.