In borst bijtende man 1815 - 1823

Curator: I am struck by the intimate energy within this print, its frankness offset by such delicate line work. Editor: Indeed. Here we have "In borst bijtende man" (Man biting a breast) by Katsushika Hokusai, made sometime between 1815 and 1823. It’s a woodblock print rendered in ink, currently residing in the Rijksmuseum collection. Curator: The stark contrasts Hokusai achieves are masterful, considering the medium. The pale skin against the patterned fabric... note how the contours, though minimal, define the figures with such precision. Editor: And how fascinating it is to think about the labor involved. Woodblock printing required not only the artist’s design but the skilled hands of carvers and printers. Each impression is the product of a complex social exchange and the materiality of the wood itself, informing the aesthetic possibilities and limits of the Ukiyo-e tradition. Curator: I am drawn to the placement of the figures; their limbs intertwine in such a way that they construct their own space separate from the patterned plane around them. I sense an echo of Mannerist figure compositions, all flowing lines and deliberate distortions... yet grounded in the Ukiyo-e tradition. Editor: It is important to understand that this is Shunga art, often tied to broader social customs around sexuality and pleasure within Japanese culture at the time. Such art provided income for many artists and artisans of various skill levels, revealing a complicated relationship to commerce. The prints were affordable and readily available, and yet, we still see a skilled level of production and labor employed, like in Hokusai's mastery of expressive lines. Curator: The lines evoke raw feeling; however, they do it elegantly, carefully placing both the female and male form into this moment. This tension between representation and line creates a powerful piece. Editor: Looking at Hokusai's processes, materials, and place within a specific economic system, reveals more dimensions than purely thinking of form alone. Curator: Quite right. It challenges us to move beyond mere aesthetic appreciation. Editor: A sentiment on which we can agree.