Around the Kotatsu c. 1789

Editor: This is "Around the Kotatsu," a woodblock print made around 1789 by Katsukawa Shuncho, currently housed at the Art Institute of Chicago. I’m struck by how domestic and intimate the scene feels, despite the printmaking medium. What's your take? Curator: It’s interesting you say intimate. Ukiyo-e prints like this one served a vital public function, circulating images and ideas within Edo society. Genre paintings, like this one, offered a glimpse into the lives of courtesans and fashionable women, but always through the lens of a complex, socially stratified society. How do you think this artwork might have been consumed and understood in its time? Editor: Well, I imagine it gave viewers access to a world they might not otherwise see, right? But were these images always objective portrayals, or were they often idealized, or maybe even didactic in some way? Curator: Precisely! They were rarely objective. Ukiyo-e prints played a crucial role in shaping perceptions, solidifying social hierarchies, and disseminating particular notions of beauty, fashion, and leisure. Shuncho likely aimed to portray the "floating world" in an attractive light, yet social and political commentary, satire, or even propaganda could also play a crucial role. We must consider this in light of censorship laws during that era as well. What aspects of the image would a contemporary audience find the most engaging or perhaps even controversial? Editor: Thinking about it now, it’s a window into both entertainment and subtle social commentary. Maybe even a kind of aspirational lifestyle branding of its era? I hadn't thought about it that way before. Curator: Exactly. So by examining the social role of such imagery we start to understand not only art history but also cultural and institutional history as well. These images reflected and also shaped Edo society. Editor: That's a fascinating angle to consider. Thanks! It's completely changed how I see this artwork.