Triptych: Famous Places of the Eastern Capital: Evening Cool at Ryōgoku Bridge c. 19th century

Curator: This triptych, whose full title is "Famous Places of the Eastern Capital: Evening Cool at Ryogoku Bridge," was created by Utagawa Hiroshige, who died in 1858. Editor: Oh, the mood! It’s that hazy, languid feeling of a summer night, amped up by the fireworks blooming over the water. You can almost hear the laughter and chatter. Curator: The Ryogoku Bridge was a popular spot for escaping the summer heat, and Hiroshige captures the vivacity of Edo's leisure culture, showing the bridge bustling with people and boats. Editor: The bridge acts like a zipper across the whole scene. And the layers of boats floating between water and sky, with those puffs of color--are they clouds or something else? Curator: Those clouds, painted in such unrealistic pinks and yellows, suggest the evening sky, yes, but also the artifice inherent in ukiyo-e prints intended for mass consumption. Editor: It's like a dream you don’t want to end. Curator: Indeed, a frozen, ideal slice of life in old Edo. Editor: Definitely makes you want to time-travel.