Magnolia (Mokuren) and Magnolia kobus (Kobushi), from the series An Array of Plants for the Kasumi Circle (Kasumi-ren sōmoku awase), with poem c. 1804 - 1815

Editor: This is Kubo Shunman's print, "Magnolia (Mokuren) and Magnolia kobus (Kobushi)," part of the "An Array of Plants for the Kasumi Circle" series. It feels very delicate, almost ephemeral, especially given its presentation on paper. What strikes you about this work? Curator: The woodblock printing process itself is what draws my attention. Think of the labor involved in carving the blocks for each color, and the social structures that supported such craft. What was the role of the Kasumi Circle in commissioning and consuming such works? Editor: That's a good point; it makes me consider the commercial aspect of art. Curator: Exactly! How does this print, likely made for an elite circle, engage with the natural world and perhaps even with ideas of luxury and refinement through its materials and production? Editor: So, by looking at the process and context, we understand more about the values of the society. Curator: Precisely. It's about questioning the art object's journey, from the artist's hand to the collector's wall, and what that journey reveals about the broader world.