(Three women in court attire) c. 1818

This print of three women in court attire was created by Matsumura Keibun in the late 18th or early 19th century. The scene presents a clear hierarchy. One woman stands, poised and seemingly in charge, while the other two are prostrated before her. Consider the implications of the prostration, a gesture seen throughout history. The act of kneeling or bowing before a superior, a deity, or a ruler is found across cultures from ancient Egypt to feudal Europe. It’s a physical manifestation of reverence, submission, or supplication. The emotional weight of such a gesture is immense; it speaks to power dynamics, societal structures, and individual vulnerability. The presence of these power dynamics suggests that the artist aims to tap into our collective understanding of dominance and submission, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. Power structures, like the act of prostration, resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, continuing a non-linear, cyclical progression through history.