Woman Binding Her Hair and Attendant under Flowering Cherry Tree 1700 - 1753

Editor: So, this piece is “Woman Binding Her Hair and Attendant under Flowering Cherry Tree” by Miyagawa Chōshun, dating from around 1700 to 1753. It's a painting, currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The monochromatic style gives it this amazing sense of serenity, despite depicting a very intimate moment. What is your interpretation of this work? Curator: Well, placing the image within its historical and cultural context reveals its complexities. These Ukiyo-e paintings, like this one, became popular amongst the merchant class. So we have to ask, who was the intended audience? This is not merely a depiction of feminine beauty. Editor: So, you're suggesting it was about appealing to a specific social class rather than pure artistry? Curator: Precisely. The beauty of the courtesan here under the cherry tree embodies fleeting beauty, a major theme in Ukiyo-e art, which spoke to the desires and aspirations, particularly of the newly wealthy merchant class seeking a taste of refined culture that had traditionally been exclusive to the aristocracy. Does knowing this change your perspective at all? Editor: It definitely does. Knowing it’s meant to portray something deeper than beauty shifts the mood significantly. The flowering tree, usually a joyful thing, also suggests that fleeting beauty or brief existence, kind of making it a more serious piece than it first appears. Curator: Yes. Ukiyo-e’s success resided in democratizing art for an emerging class. It also raises questions of how power dynamics and commercial interests affect artistic representation. Editor: Wow, I never considered the economic aspect so deeply. Thank you! Curator: My pleasure! I learned something too, understanding your take.