Eastern Genji: The Garden in Snow (Azuma Genji yuki no niwa) Possibly 1854

Curator: This is Utagawa Kunisada’s woodblock print, "Eastern Genji: The Garden in Snow," currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, my heart. Look at those vivid robes against the snowy landscape. It's both playful and serene. Curator: Kunisada, who lived from 1786 to 1865, masterfully uses color and line to depict this Genji-inspired scene, probably referencing a chapter from the famous novel. Editor: The scale of the rabbit! It’s almost dreamlike, wouldn't you say? A symbol of something, perhaps? Curator: Rabbits in art often symbolize prosperity and good fortune. But more than that, Kunisada's choice highlights the fleeting beauty of winter and the ephemeral nature of art itself. Editor: I love that interpretation. A fleeting moment of joy, captured for eternity on paper. I am now dreaming of the silence in the snow.