“‘A Molted Cicada Shell’ (Utsusemi): Soga Gorō Tokimune,” from the series Scenes amid Genji Clouds Matched with Ukiyo-e Pictures (Genji-gumo ukiyo e-awase) 1845 - 1861

Curator: Here we have Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s woodblock print, “‘A Molted Cicada Shell’ (Utsusemi): Soga Gorō Tokimune,” created sometime between 1845 and 1861. It’s part of the series, “Scenes amid Genji Clouds Matched with Ukiyo-e Pictures.” Editor: My first impression is how dynamically the artist utilizes line to create such taut tension in this print; the slashing diagonal of the katana echoes that gaze. Curator: Kuniyoshi was working in a fascinating period of increasing political tension in Japan. Ukiyo-e, which initially focused on the pleasure districts, expanded to encompass historical narratives and, often, veiled social critiques. Prints like this would have circulated widely among a growing urban population. Editor: Precisely, and the artistry with which Kuniyoshi plays with the juxtaposition of foreground and background contributes mightily. Note how he counterpoints the violent potential energy of Soga Gorō Tokimune below with the almost ethereal detachment above where we see an illustration of a cicada slough. Curator: The pairing is key. The "molted cicada shell," utsusemi, serves as a poignant metaphor for transformation and the transient nature of life, a theme deeply embedded in Japanese art and Buddhism. This is in the context of the story, of course, not an actual cicada. Editor: This transformation is powerfully conveyed through the work’s palette; that icily cool blade provides a compelling focus, sharply cutting through more earth-bound tones and colors in other parts of the print. Curator: Also, note the layered narrative – within the main image, there are further insets. It speaks to the complex ways stories were told and consumed in this period. Dissemination of information in a very accessible, relatively affordable form… it democratized imagery in a way. Editor: Absolutely, these woodblock prints function almost like portable narratives, democratizing and allowing broad engagement with cultural heritage in private life, where those individual consumers could consider and decode its components with scrutiny. Curator: Looking at the print through the lens of its original context helps us appreciate how art engages in social and political life beyond pure aesthetics. I hope modern viewers find those threads relevant. Editor: Indeed, examining Kuniyoshi's work has allowed me to reconsider how this traditional artistic idiom could allow artists like him a way to express the intensity of cultural shift happening when the image was created.