Sayohime Thwarting an Attacker, from the series Three Famous Women c. 19th century

Curator: First impressions? Yanagawa Shigenobu’s “Sayohime Thwarting an Attacker, from the series Three Famous Women," shows a striking scene. Editor: It does; the immediate mood is tense. The colors, despite being bright, seem to clash, creating a feeling of unease. Is that a sword? Curator: Yes, indeed. It's a woodblock print, paper; small scale yet dramatic. Notice how Shigenobu uses the medium to explore gender roles and social expectations. The patterning is quite intentional, isn't it? The woman is upright and the attacker is slumped. Editor: The patterns create a striking contrast; the active and passive roles are visually emphasized through the textile designs. I feel the artist intended a deeper connection between the characters and their socio-economic status via their garments. Curator: Precisely, and thinking about the printmaking process itself, the labor involved in each impression speaks to the wider accessibility of such narratives, making it a form of popular resistance in its own right. Editor: It's a powerful reminder that even small-scale art can make big statements about material, labor, and social power. Curator: Absolutely. And a reminder that the story is what we make of it, too.