DIPTYCH (OR PART OF A LARGER SET?) c. 19th century

Editor: This diptych is by Utagawa Kunisada and is located at Harvard Art Museums. The figures seem to be caught in a moment of surprise. What's striking is the intricate detail in their clothing. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see an echo of labor practices embedded in the very lines of this print. Consider the woodblock carving process itself – the skilled artisan meticulously transferring Kunisada's design, a process of both creation and reproduction intimately tied to the social context of its making and consumption. Editor: So, the process itself carries meaning? Curator: Absolutely. Look at the layering of patterns and lines, suggesting not just aesthetic preference but a complex interplay between design, material, and the hands that brought it to life. It speaks to a whole system of production and consumption. Editor: That’s a fascinating lens to view it through. Thank you! Curator: Indeed. The materials themselves tell a story.