Prosperity (Roku): Ding Gu (Chōko) Dreaming of the Pine Tree, from the series Fukurokuju c. 1823 - 1827

Curator: Yashima Gakutei's woodblock print, part of the Fukurokuju series, presents "Prosperity (Roku): Ding Gu Dreaming of the Pine Tree." It’s an intriguing scene on paper, dating back to the late 18th or early 19th century. Editor: It feels like a quiet, contemplative space. I'm drawn to the texture of the pine tree and the stacked books; there's a real sense of materiality here. Curator: The subject, Ding Gu, is a figure associated with prosperity and longevity, embodying the Confucian ideal of the scholar-official. Gakutei is commenting on social mobility and scholarly pursuits. Editor: The woodblock medium is significant. The process of carving and printing mirrors the labor involved in creating and disseminating knowledge. Were these prints accessible to a broad audience, or more elite? Curator: That's a key question. Woodblock prints democratized art to some extent, though access was still mediated by class and social standing. The figure of Ding Gu represents a kind of aspirational identity. Editor: Right, and thinking about the materials – paper, ink, wood – it all speaks to a system of production and consumption. The dream itself is shaped by material realities. Curator: Exactly. Gakutei invites us to consider the material and social conditions that underpin our very dreams of success. Editor: It's fascinating how the artwork uses its medium to question its own cultural context. Curator: Indeed, a powerful intersection of image, identity, and material circumstance.