Pink and Yellow Chrysanthemums c. 19th century

Editor: This is Utagawa Hiroshige’s “Pink and Yellow Chrysanthemums,” from the Harvard Art Museums. It feels so delicate and ephemeral. What story do you think Hiroshige is trying to tell with this piece? Curator: It’s like a fleeting moment captured, isn't it? I find myself thinking about impermanence, a core concept in Japanese aesthetics. Hiroshige uses color and form to almost whisper about the beauty of things as they fade. Notice how the petals seem to dance on the page. What feelings do those colors evoke for you? Editor: It makes me feel peaceful, almost melancholic. Like a beautiful memory. Curator: Precisely! Perhaps Hiroshige is inviting us to find beauty in the transient nature of life itself. It's a reminder that even in fading, there's still grace. Editor: I never thought about it that way before! It definitely gives me a new perspective on the painting.