Weather Clearing at Awazu c. 1770 - 1775

Editor: So, this is Isoda Koryūsai’s "Weather Clearing at Awazu", a woodblock print dating back to around 1770. There's something so peaceful about it. The figures seem caught in a moment of quiet contemplation, maybe even a bit melancholy. What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: Ah, yes, a gentle slice of life rendered in ukiyo-e. I'm drawn to the narrative possibilities within this floating world, Editor. Do you sense a story unfolding between the two figures? I almost imagine they're discussing a secret or sharing a bittersweet memory as the weather shifts, and perhaps reflecting changes in their own lives. Note the gaze of one, downward... away. Also notice how the clouds give way to the birds and architectural elements in the distance. Editor: It does feel like a secret's being shared! But it’s also interesting how the flat planes of color create depth despite the limited perspective. Like the bridge just *exists* against the scene, you know? Curator: Exactly. And it's no accident. This flatness throws us into the scene itself. Tell me, Editor, what feelings are stirred in you by these details, this "clearing weather" which is a popular motif of the time? It feels to me like the calm *after* something important happened. What do you make of it? Editor: Hmm, I guess that after a storm, there can be a fresh, quiet perspective... A time to process. Curator: Nicely put. Koryūsai invites us to sit with the beauty of the transient – that the weather can clear, and emotions too. These types of paintings aren’t made to have any kind of final resolution. The viewers provide their own experience to the image itself, it evolves depending on the beholder. Editor: So much for such a simple scene! I'll definitely be thinking about that next time I experience some "clearing weather" myself!