Russian Couple (Oroshiajin), from an untitled series of foreigners with their flags, published by Izumiya Ichibei Possibly 1861

Curator: This is Utagawa Yoshikazu's "Russian Couple," part of a series depicting foreigners, printed by Izumiya Ichibei. The work on paper, now in the Harvard Art Museums, presents an intriguing tableau. Editor: It's striking how Yoshikazu captures this couple. There's a sense of domesticity, but also of...unease? The woman's gesture, the bottle she holds... it feels ambiguous. Curator: The Russian flag acts as a backdrop, asserting identity. But observe how the woman's attire—the colours, the kerchief—becomes a symbolic marker, signaling "foreignness" to the Japanese viewer. Editor: And what of the cake? The table laden with delicacies? Is it an attempt to portray wealth, or perhaps highlight cultural differences in social customs and food? Curator: Consider how the artist uses symbolic representation of Russia alongside direct observation of this couple. It reveals what was considered culturally significant about these outsiders during that period. Editor: Precisely. Yoshikazu offers a glimpse into the complex relationship between Japan and the West, a relationship built on fascination, perhaps tinged with suspicion. Curator: A potent reminder of how we interpret each other through the lens of cultural symbols, still relevant today. Editor: Absolutely. It invites us to question our own assumptions about those we perceive as "other."