THE FIFTY-THREE STATIONS OF THE TOKAIDO, "YUI" c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Utagawa Hiroshige's "Yui" from his series "The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido." There's something very striking about the composition – a steep cliff face dominating the foreground, with this distant view of the sea. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, it's interesting you picked up on the cliff. Hiroshige often plays with perspective like this, right? Cramming the foreground to emphasize the vastness beyond. I wonder if he’s commenting on our journey through life, the obstacles we face versus the destinations we imagine. What do you think? Editor: That's a beautiful way to look at it. I hadn't considered it as a metaphor for life's journey. Curator: Art is all about connections, right? Maybe, it is just a pretty picture of the Tokaido road. Editor: I suppose we'll never know for sure, but I'll definitely be thinking about that journey now every time I see it. Thanks!