Het uur van de aap 1785 - 1789

Editor: We’re looking at "The Hour of the Monkey" a woodblock print by Torii Kiyonaga, created between 1785 and 1789. It's so delicate, almost ethereal. I'm curious, what are the key formal elements that define this piece? Curator: Note the planar organization of the picture space, the subtle gradation of colors, and how lines delineate the figures and landscape, existing almost as a scaffold holding up the visual content. This contributes to the flatness and the decorative quality characteristic of ukiyo-e. The composition employs strong diagonals created by the women’s postures. How does this formal structure strike you? Editor: I see how the diagonal creates a visual pathway through the artwork, making it feel more dynamic. But it feels quite different than the perspective in Western art of the same period. Curator: Exactly. Linear perspective isn’t the primary organizing principle here. Rather, consider how the artist manipulates space through strategic placement of forms. Note the juxtaposition of the figures with the suggestion of receding landscape in the background and ponder on how the forms of figures repeat themselves across the pictorial field. Editor: So, the landscape isn't about creating an illusion of depth, but more about creating a relationship between shapes, colors and lines? Curator: Precisely. We can appreciate the artist’s skill in balancing the design elements within the overall composition. A unified arrangement emerges from the arrangement of forms. It is not just a picture. It’s an intricately crafted design. Editor: This close look makes me see past the surface. I had not really focused on shapes so much as figures, but that creates something different in terms of art. Curator: Yes, examining those forms helps us to perceive Kiyonaga's brilliance. It highlights his artistry in orchestrating each component into a harmoniously structured visual experience.