Benzaiten Playing a Lute beneath Plum Blossoms 

Curator: This is Keisai Eisen’s "Benzaiten Playing a Lute beneath Plum Blossoms." The goddess Benzaiten is shown surrounded by plum blossoms. Editor: She looks rather serene, though the monochromatic palette mutes what could be a celebratory scene. Curator: Benzaiten’s association with music, eloquence, wealth, and longevity all come into play here. The plum blossoms themselves have symbolic depth, representing resilience and renewal in East Asian art. Editor: I'm thinking about the relative status of women during Eisen’s time. Was Benzaiten a figure that provided any real social leverage, or did it simply reinforce established norms? Curator: That's a valid question. On one level, she embodies aspiration, and on another, perhaps a fantasy of feminine power. Editor: It's difficult to untangle the two, isn't it? Thanks for helping illuminate some of those layers for me. Curator: It's important that we continue to ask these types of questions when exploring art like this.