Speak no Evil, from the series See no Evil, Speak no Evil and Hear no Evil 

Editor: Here we have "Speak no Evil," by Keisai Eisen. It's a print, part of a series, and the figures have a lovely, delicate quality. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Well, it's interesting to consider this in its historical context. The "See no Evil, Speak no Evil, Hear no Evil" motif has a long history, but what does it mean to see it reinterpreted in 19th-century Japan, within a culture that values social harmony? How does Eisen challenge or uphold those values here? Editor: That's a great point. I hadn't thought about the political implications of such a familiar saying! So, it becomes more than just a cute visual pun? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to consider the unspoken rules and power dynamics at play in Japanese society at the time. What are we not seeing or being told in these carefully constructed images? It shows how art can be used as a cultural artifact to reflect societal norms, and even push against them.