Cloth Fulling Jewel River in Settsu, from the series Six Jewel Rivers of the Various Provinces 1857

Editor: So, here we have "Cloth Fulling Jewel River in Settsu" a woodblock print from 1857 by Utagawa Hiroshige. It has this serene, almost dreamlike quality, especially with the moon and the women by the river. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a carefully constructed representation of gendered labour embedded within a specific cultural context. We are not just looking at a landscape; we're observing women performing the traditionally female task of cloth fulling, which was a crucial part of textile production in 19th-century Japan. This work subtly highlights their economic role within a society that often marginalized their contributions. Notice how the composition centres the women? How does that influence your interpretation? Editor: That's interesting! I hadn't thought about it in terms of labor. I was drawn to the moon and the stillness of the scene, like a romantic landscape. So, by focusing on these women, Hiroshige is making a statement about their place, their value? Curator: Exactly. Hiroshige’s art often touches upon the lives of everyday people. He subtly brings into question these ideas of women's economic agency. Do you see anything else within the visual representation that might be alluding to class, gender or other power dynamics? Editor: I see they're working outside and exposed while upper classes enjoy more comfort, so maybe this landscape aestheticizes some harsh realities. It's not just a pretty scene. Curator: Precisely! It's about recognizing those overlooked contributions. How does looking at the art knowing these histories, make you think about how you evaluate similar art moving forward? Editor: I definitely will not take it for granted! This makes me think of whose stories we are prioritizing, what's shown and what's deliberately unseen. It makes the piece richer, and gives the viewer much more to contemplate.