An Official; a Mother-in-Law 1885

This woodblock print was made by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi and presents a fascinating juxtaposition of two figures: an official and a mother-in-law. In the upper panel, the official reclines, casually raising a glass, evoking a sense of ease or perhaps detachment. Notice the sake bottle. In Japan, sake is a beverage often associated with rituals, family gatherings, and emotional release. Here it is contrasted with the lower panel, where the mother-in-law is seated on the floor, clutching a sake bottle to her chest. The juxtaposition of the sake bottle in the upper and lower images is a powerful symbol that transcends time and has reappeared throughout art history. Think of the Bacchic revelries of classical art or medieval depictions of intoxication, all of which symbolize states of ecstasy or loss of control. The mother-in-law's clutching of the sake bottle is a symbol for dealing with strong emotions. It illustrates how the psychological weight of sake is used to achieve emotional release. In essence, the cyclical nature of this symbol reminds us that while societies evolve, our fundamental interactions with symbols and emotions remain deeply interwoven.