The Broken Wall (Episode 5) from the "Tales of Ise" (Ise monogatari) Late 16th to early 17th century

Editor: Here we have "The Broken Wall (Episode 5) from the Tales of Ise," a work by the Tosa School. It feels like a theatrical scene, almost a stage. What stands out to you in this artwork? Curator: Considering the Tosa School’s history of courtly patronage, I see the meticulous detail not merely as aesthetic, but as signifying status and control. The labour invested in these fine lines, the materials themselves—where did they originate, and who had access to them? Editor: That's a great point! I hadn't thought about the accessibility of materials. Curator: It shapes our understanding of the depicted narrative too. The ‘broken wall’ – who benefits from that destruction? Whose labor maintains or rebuilds it? Editor: So, the art is not just illustrating the story, but also revealing the social structure in which it was made and consumed. Fascinating.