PEACOCK AND PEONIES c. late 19th century

Curator: The texture in this piece is incredible, isn't it? I am drawn to the intricate detail in the peacock's feathers. Editor: Yes, the detail is striking. This is Utagawa Hiroshige's "Peacock and Peonies," and it's held here at the Harvard Art Museums. The artist died in 1858. Curator: Well, peacock imagery often symbolizes beauty, royalty, and immortality across cultures. Editor: And the peonies? Aren't they symbols of wealth and honor? It's quite a loaded image. Looking closely, I see such care taken in the woodblock printing; the layering of the colours. It speaks to the labour involved. Curator: True. I wonder how many prints Hiroshige's workshop produced. Seeing these images as commodities shifts the context. Editor: It’s a powerful combination of status symbols, beautifully rendered, really quite enduring. Curator: It does make you think about the value we place on these kinds of images, and how they circulate through society. Editor: Absolutely. There’s a lot to unpack here, even in this seemingly simple composition.