Picture Book Sumida River A Glance of Both Shores (Ehon Sumida gawa ryogan ichiran), Vol. 2 

Editor: Here we have Katsushika Hokusai's *Picture Book Sumida River A Glance of Both Shores*, volume two. It's a lovely woodblock print, though the rain gives it a melancholy feel. What stories do you think this image tells about daily life and cultural values in Edo-period Japan? Curator: This scene, part of a larger illustrated book, reflects the era's commercial culture and the burgeoning interest in landscape and travel. Hokusai is marketing a vision of Sumida River as a cultural touchstone. Notice how the figures are presented in relation to the landscape: what does that suggest to you? Editor: Perhaps the harmony between people and nature, or maybe the city's dependence on the river for trade and travel? Curator: Precisely. This image shows how Hokusai capitalized on the social and economic changes of the time. The figures are rendered with the same flat perspective as the buildings and surrounding landscape, emphasizing its integration into society. Editor: I never considered art from such a commercial perspective. It gives me a lot to think about!