The Courtesan Hanaogi of the Ogiya with Her Attendants Yoshino and Tatsuta, from the series "Models for Fashion: New Designs as Fresh as Young Leaves (Hinagata wakana no hatsu moyo)" c. 1781

Curator: Here we have "The Courtesan Hanaogi of the Ogiya with Her Attendants Yoshino and Tatsuta, from the series 'Models for Fashion: New Designs as Fresh as Young Leaves'," a woodblock print by Torii Kiyonaga, dating back to around 1781. Editor: It strikes me immediately as a study in elegance and quiet strength. There’s something profoundly still about these women, even as they’re captured in motion. Curator: Kiyonaga was really revolutionizing the depiction of women at this time. Before him, Ukiyo-e prints often showed women as very idealized, almost doll-like. Editor: Yes, and you sense something different here. A grounded quality. Look at how the lines of their kimono fall, echoing the curve of fans – a gentle geometry governing their presence. The textile design almost overwhelms the subjects; who really has depth in this frame? Curator: Absolutely, he elongates the figures, gives them a kind of statuesque quality that emphasizes their height. But I also see such a sensitivity to pattern; it's so beautiful and subtle. It creates almost an abstract symphony out of clothing. Each woman is draped in a slightly different design. And they provide insight into the high-end aesthetic of the pleasure quarters. Editor: I'm fascinated by how these women are not looking out at us. Their gazes are averted, inward almost. It’s as if they exist within their own world. Though, arguably, a highly constructed one. We are allowed to observe, but not intrude, isn’t it? Curator: The averted gaze adds so much depth to the scene. And if you notice, there are only five colours present, which makes for a sophisticated final impression and indicates that he designed this as a multi-block print, carved meticulously. Editor: Right! So, we're left to consider the layers of meaning woven into not just the image, but the construction of that image as well. Curator: For me, the print offers a look into the lives of these fascinating women of the Edo period, each presented with so much individuality and grace. Editor: And I’m left pondering the formal language – the careful use of line and space and a real sense of harmony. All serving to highlight these figures’ unique presence, don’t you agree?