Poem by Sōjō Henjō (Yoshimine no Munesada), from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki) c. 1835 - 1836

Curator: Here we have Katsushika Hokusai's woodblock print, Poem by Sōjō Henjō, from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The composition strikes me immediately. It's divided so distinctly into planes of orchestrated activity, almost like a stage design. Curator: Indeed. Hokusai masterfully employs linear perspective. Consider the elevated platform and the tiered arrangement of figures—it's all meticulously calculated to draw the eye. And of course, the skill required to carve and print such an image. Editor: Exactly. Look at the textures! The way he renders fabric, the patterns. Woodblock printing was a complex, collaborative labor. What about its cultural context? What type of consumption supported Hokusai's work? Curator: It underscores how intrinsic form and content become, reflecting social structures. The composition of this piece elevates the viewer's gaze, as well. Editor: Interesting. It is a reminder to consider art both as a visual object and a product of very real human effort.