Wachtende liefde 1790 - 1795

Curator: Welcome to our discussion of Katsukawa Shuncho's print, "Wachtende Liefde," created between 1790 and 1795. Editor: This print of three women has such an intimate feel. It’s very muted, even melancholic. There is such careful use of line and shape. How would you interpret this work? Curator: Let us first observe the structural organization. The composition, with its clear division between the foreground and the reflected background, directs the gaze across the horizontal plane. Notice the patterns: the contrasting textiles of the kimonos creating dynamism. Are the contrasting lines balanced or unbalanced in the print, and how might this relate to your comment on the melancholy? Editor: I see what you mean. The background feels softer, more static, while the foreground figures have a sharper contrast. It does create a sense of imbalance, which, for me, supports that idea of melancholy, even expectation. I guess that connects with the title. Curator: Indeed. It reflects a subtle dynamic inherent in the work itself, through shape and form. What of the two figures facing one another? What relationship do their gestural positioning imply? How might these subtle cues—angles and proximity—shape our engagement? Editor: Their faces are tilted towards one another in such a lovely shape, and I love that their hands nearly touch. The figure behind almost mirrors their tilt but in the opposite direction. I see more in it now that is communicated just by how their bodies relate. Curator: Exactly. Reflect upon how these observations on visual structure have deepened your engagement. Do you notice new details or perspectives on an emotional, visual, and perhaps material level? Editor: Definitely. Looking at the structural relationship between these figures revealed so much more to me. Thank you.