Triptych: Sergeant Kawasaki Crosses the River Daidōkō Alone (Kawasaki gunsō tanshin Daidōkō o wataru) Possibly 1894

Curator: Mizuno Toshikata's woodblock print, *Triptych: Sergeant Kawasaki Crosses the River Daidōkō Alone*, presents a lone figure in turbulent waters. The work resides at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My initial response centers on the composition; the contrast between the swimmer and the chaos of the water is compelling. It gives me a feeling of tense solitude. Curator: Indeed. Toshikata conveys a specific, perhaps idealized, representation of military valor. Note how the figure is centrally placed amidst the turmoil, yet self-contained. Editor: I see the symbolism, but I also wonder how much of this bravery is constructed by a society eager to propagate heroic narratives. What were the sociopolitical undercurrents influencing the creation and reception of this image? Curator: Those elements surely informed the artist. The print's formal strength is undeniable, though. The texture achieved in the water through the layering of the ink is truly remarkable. Editor: It's a potent reminder that art exists within, and is shaped by, the currents of its time.