Woman with Partially Unwrapped Box 

Curator: This is Utagawa Kunisada’s "Woman with Partially Unwrapped Box," a Japanese woodblock print residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It strikes me as a study in controlled revelation. The woman's gaze is indirect, and the box hints at something concealed, prompting curiosity. Curator: Kunisada was a leading printmaker of the Utagawa school. The woman's elaborate kimono suggests a courtesan or a woman of high social standing. The box itself, perhaps a gift, adds to the intrigue. Editor: Do you think that circular cityscape in the background is a theatrical backdrop or a window? How does that influence the viewer's perception of her agency? Curator: Perhaps both. The cityscape might ground her in a specific place and time or transport her out of her lived reality. Editor: Thinking about the power dynamics inherent in the entertainment districts of Edo-period Japan adds a lot of complexity. Curator: Indeed, the symbolism and layers of meaning in Kunisada's work invite many interpretations. Editor: Leaving us to wonder what that woman is thinking and what secrets the box holds.