Famous Views of Edo: Kasumigaseki 1786 - 1865

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print, “Famous Views of Edo: Kasumigaseki,” in nineteenth-century Japan. Kunisada's print exemplifies the ukiyo-e style, a genre that captured the fleeting pleasures of urban life. This image presents a striking contrast between the intimate portrait of a woman and the bustling cityscape of Edo, now Tokyo. We can see how the artist uses visual codes to create meaning. The woman’s elaborate hairstyle and kimono indicate her status, while the background depicts the architecture and social activity of Kasumigaseki. The print offers a glimpse into the social conditions of the time. Edo was a rapidly growing urban center with a vibrant merchant class. Ukiyo-e prints like this one catered to the tastes of this emerging audience. The depiction of Kasumigaseki, a district known for its government offices, suggests a society in transition. As historians, we use a variety of resources to understand the context of this artwork, from social histories of Edo to studies of ukiyo-e printmaking. The meaning of art is contingent on its social and institutional context, revealing much about the society that produced it.