Irissen in volle bloei 1858

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Irises in Full Bloom," a woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada created around 1858. It's currently housed here at the Rijksmuseum. What's your immediate reaction to it? Editor: My first impression is that the scene is both charming and complex, capturing a sense of nighttime activity with an interesting tension between nature and constructed space. The colour palette evokes this liminal feeling, it's an urban idyll, no? Curator: The setting offers valuable insight into Japanese social and commercial life of the period. Kunisada's skillful portrayal hints at the importance of floral motifs alongside female figure and its inherent marketability. The irises aren't just decorative, are they? Editor: Precisely, and thinking about the broader narratives present, who is this woman and what's her purpose, perhaps a rendezvous or simply illuminating her path with that beautiful paper lantern? In this era the social status of women was extremely policed, and works like this were viewed as a form of social criticism. Curator: It also brings up Ukiyo-e and how it literally means "pictures of the floating world", capturing fleeting moments and offering a glimpse into daily life and contemporary culture. Editor: Exactly, so it challenges notions of genre while asking important questions about beauty. Curator: It's a perfect blend, yes. Kunisada positions genre painting alongside figuration, exploring and pushing them beyond their limits. Editor: His expert use of line and colour, so very common with the water colours used here, guides the eye, drawing our gaze across the piece while grounding us in this fleeting moment of Japanese culture. Curator: Seeing this piece allows one to observe how visual strategies intersected with economic, cultural and social dimensions of art-making in Japan. Editor: Agreed. Considering our current climate it allows us to consider how we understand notions of gender and place. Curator: Very insightful observations, and something to really think about after seeing this Utagawa Kunisada masterwork in person.