Three Beauties of Our Time (Tosei san bijin) n.d.

Curator: This lovely ukiyo-e print, attributed to Chōkōsai Eishō, is titled *Three Beauties of Our Time*. Created as a woodblock print, it offers a serene glimpse into Japanese aesthetics. Editor: My initial response? Subtlety. The delicate lines and soft palette create a subdued, almost dreamlike atmosphere. There's a distinct flatness, yet it’s captivating. Curator: The flatness is typical of the ukiyo-e style, stemming from its origins in mass-produced prints. The background is particularly fascinating; its detailed floral motif offers both depth and a pleasing sense of patterned texture, contrasting with the smooth skin. Editor: The patterning is clever—framing the figure without overwhelming it. But the gaze is interesting. She seems both present and distant. Almost melancholy. What can you tell me about these "beauties" of the time? Curator: Ukiyo-e prints of beautiful women, or *bijin-ga*, served a public function, celebrating ideal feminine beauty and contemporary fashion in Japan. By documenting their appearances, customs, and fashionable attire they served as records of popular culture. The three beauties aren't explicitly named here, so we infer this represents an idealized woman that others can seek to emulate in daily life. Editor: So, a symbol. It all becomes clear. This wasn't about capturing individual likeness, but about holding a mirror up to the tastes of a society, defining an archetype. It makes you wonder, what would someone from that time make of today’s beauty ideals, filtered through our own visual media? Curator: It’s tempting to speculate! Certainly, these portraits participated in constructing norms of behavior and decorum alongside those ideals of appearance. Editor: Seeing it that way – this print shifts from simply being an aesthetically pleasing work to becoming a cultural artifact, revealing intricate layers of history and aspiration. I have new appreciation for the formal choices that went into such an seemingly straightforward depiction of a women! Curator: Indeed, the formal and social readings work together here, providing layers to understand aesthetic appreciation and social ideals!