Playing Battledore and Shuttlecock c. 1765 - 1770

Editor: This is "Playing Battledore and Shuttlecock" by Suzuki Harunobu, dating from around 1765 to 1770. It's a woodblock print, currently at the Art Institute of Chicago. It strikes me as a really gentle depiction of leisure. What do you see in this piece, particularly considering the social context? Curator: I see a fascinating glimpse into the social lives of women in Edo-period Japan. Harunobu's work often portrayed women in everyday settings, but it's crucial to remember that these images weren't always straightforward representations. Battledore and shuttlecock was a popular game, particularly during the New Year, but it was also a performance of femininity, carefully curated. Editor: A performance? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the layers of clothing, the elaborate hairstyles. These details signified social status, but they also constructed a specific image of ideal womanhood. This print engages with ukiyo-e traditions, yet what are we to make of its role in either upholding or questioning the strict roles for women in Japanese society? Does the fact that we see them engaged in this past time, perhaps without any male figures, allow for us to suppose some agency here? Editor: So it's more than just a snapshot of daily life. It's commenting on the social expectations of women at that time? Curator: Precisely. It's about examining those expectations, their roles within the confined spaces afforded to them. Look closely, what kind of dialogues and narrative possibilities emerge for you? This image offers a way to reconsider our assumptions about art and representation within its unique cultural moment. Editor: I see now, it’s not simply a charming image but a subtle commentary on women’s roles. The print acts as a complex cultural artifact. Curator: Indeed. The apparent simplicity of the scene opens up complex considerations about gender, performance, and social expectations. Art reveals its potential to actively mirror, shape, and challenge society.