from the illustrated book "Kachō gaden" 

Curator: This is an image from the illustrated book "Kacho Gaden" by Katsushika Taito II, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, what a dynamic composition! The geese in flight above contrast with the grounded flock. It feels like a visual poem about movement and stillness. Curator: Precisely, and its production as a woodblock print speaks volumes about accessibility. These images were meant to circulate, bringing art to a broader audience through a repeatable, relatively inexpensive process. Editor: It's amazing to think about how this technique democratized art. It's almost like an early form of mass media. The stark lines, the stylized forms. It’s compelling. Curator: Indeed. The very act of carving those blocks, applying ink, and pressing paper transforms nature into a commodity for visual consumption. Editor: Well, thinking about it, the geese feel so alive, even in their stylized forms. I love the duality of nature and human influence. Curator: I appreciate the attention to the production process in this work, and you bring such a wonderful, lyrical lens. Editor: Thanks, together we found something beautiful about tradition meeting modernity.