Meiji Dance Recital c. 1880s

Editor: We're looking at "Meiji Dance Recital," a woodblock print from the 1880s by Sessei, held at the Art Institute of Chicago. I'm immediately struck by the almost dreamlike quality, with the figures arranged against this creamy background and soft colors. What's your read on this work? Curator: Ah, Sessei! A dance recital captured in woodblock, how enchanting! I see a performance unfolding within a contained space, framed by those almost comically large cherry blossoms. They practically pop right off the page, don't they? But it’s more than just surface-level beauty. It is really inviting. Almost whispering secrets of Meiji era entertainment and refined culture, with all the delicate gesture, the precise and confident strokes, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Definitely! And the presence of text adds a layer of complexity. Curator: The text dances with the imagery. Poetry of praise maybe? Consider also the perspective play; everything appears flattened, which only draws focus to gesture and color relationships that communicate so clearly! It seems to resist the classical western forms of visual art by ignoring their most important assumptions... Editor: Now that you mention the spatial dimension, it's true, I don't quite know *where* the viewers should stand... or *where* the performance takes place... or how those figures stand relative to each other, hmmm. Very insightful. Thank you! Curator: Always a pleasure! It just means every viewing reveals something more to appreciate, more to consider, you know? Keep looking closely! Editor: Will do! I really learned a lot by noticing new elements of this woodblock. Thanks again for taking the time!