from the illustrated book "Kachō gaden" 

Editor: Here we see a woodblock print titled "Kacho Gaden" by Katsushika Taito II. It has a wonderful, almost whimsical quality with all the different birds. What do you see in this piece that stands out to you? Curator: I see a carefully constructed visual rhetoric around nature and avian life. The woodblock print, a common medium, made images like these widely accessible. Consider how this accessibility shaped the perception of nature and its role in society at the time. Editor: So, it's not just a pretty picture of birds? Curator: Precisely. The act of depicting nature, particularly in multiples, implies a desire to categorize, understand, and ultimately, control its representation. Think about how institutions like museums contribute to that same process today. Editor: I never thought of it that way. Now I’m seeing it as more than just art; it’s a statement. Curator: Exactly! And how that statement circulates and is received is just as important as its initial creation.