Triptych: Beating the Second Wife According to the Old Custom c. 1852

Editor: This wild scene, "Triptych: Beating the Second Wife According to the Old Custom," is by Utagawa Hiroshige. It's brimming with figures, and frankly, feels kind of chaotic. What exactly is going on here? Curator: Chaos is the perfect word! Imagine a party game turned into a full-blown rebellion. See how the women wield household objects as weapons? It's a symbolic revolt against the power dynamics of the time. What do you think of the artist's choice to depict such a scene? Editor: It’s definitely unexpected. Almost humorous, but with a dark undercurrent. I guess I never thought about art being used to critique social structures back then. Curator: Exactly! It's a reminder that art can be both beautiful and subversive, a playful yet potent commentary on the human condition. I see the artist’s humor in this piece. Editor: I'll definitely look at art with a new perspective now.