Woman Holding a Branch of Kerria Flowers in the Rain (parody of Ota Dokan) c. 1766 - 1767

Editor: So, here we have Suzuki Harunobu’s "Woman Holding a Branch of Kerria Flowers in the Rain (parody of Ota Dokan)," a print from around 1766 or 1767. There’s this lovely, melancholy feeling to it… it's gentle, but there's something a little sad about it. How do you interpret this work? Curator: This piece really resonates within a complex network of power dynamics. It appears, ostensibly, as a refined depiction of a woman in the rain, but we have to ask: Who is this woman, and for whom was this image made? This work isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s deeply intertwined with class, gender, and access to cultural capital in Edo-period Japan. Notice that this image presents a parody of Ota Dokan. Harunobu is referencing the story of a lord being given refuge in the rain. So the gender swap challenges male heroism. What statement do you think Harunobu is making? Editor: That's so interesting! I hadn't considered the gender subversion. It makes you wonder about the roles women played, maybe more than we traditionally recognize. Perhaps the beauty serves as a deceptive barrier? Curator: Precisely. These women are simultaneously idealized and objectified within ukiyo-e prints. Images such as these were made and circulated within the floating world. The viewer can reflect on what such images teach about society. Editor: That’s really helpful. I'll never look at another ukiyo-e print in the same way. Thank you for that expanded perspective! Curator: My pleasure. It’s through questioning these established frameworks that we truly understand the art and ourselves.