Illustrated Guide to the Ise Pilgrimage (Ise sangÅ« meisho zue) Possibly 1797 - 1799

Curator: Looking at this, I feel a hush fall over me. Such quiet reverence in these aged pages. Editor: We’re observing "Illustrated Guide to the Ise Pilgrimage," a work by Shitomi Kangetsu, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. It depicts the Ise Grand Shrine, one of Japan's most sacred sites. Curator: Sacred indeed. Pilgrimages, a quest for meaning made visual. How were these guides used? Editor: These guides served a social purpose: allowing for wider participation and reinforcing the shrine's cultural significance by bringing the spiritual realm closer to the everyday. Curator: Yes! In a way, they democratized the pilgrimage experience, inviting anyone to partake in this sacred journey, even if only through these illustrations. Editor: A profound insight, seeing beyond the aesthetic to the societal influence. Curator: And you, revealing how art acts as a cultural touchstone. It is a lovely dance of perspectives, isn't it?