Hokusai manga (Hokusai Sketchbooks), vol. 14 c. 1834

Editor: This is a page from Hokusai's Manga, volume 14. The scene has a kind of dreamlike quality to it; a lion and some plants depicted with a simple, almost cartoonish style. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a reflection of Japan’s complex relationship with the natural world and mythical beings. Hokusai’s lion, juxtaposed with delicate flora, presents a dialogue between power and vulnerability. How does this contrast speak to the social and political anxieties of the Edo period, when these sketchbooks were created? Editor: That's a really interesting perspective. I hadn't considered the socio-political implications. Curator: By considering the historical context, we can understand how art serves as a visual record of a society grappling with its own identity. Editor: I’ve definitely learned a new way to look at Hokusai's Manga. Curator: Indeed, it's crucial to view art as a reflection of and engagement with the world around it.