Aoi Slope, Outside Toranomon Gate (Toranomon-soto Aoizaka), Number 113 from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei) Possibly 1857

Curator: Hiroshige’s woodblock print, "Aoi Slope, Outside Toranomon Gate," part of his famous "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" series, presents a captivating night scene. Editor: It has a playful, almost dreamlike quality, yet the composition feels carefully constructed, drawing the eye along the slope. Curator: Indeed, the printmaking process itself, the careful layering of colors, speaks to the rise of a merchant class who could afford these prints and, by extension, the leisure to enjoy such scenes. The vendors and laborers become part of the landscape itself. Editor: And the figures! The two sumo wrestlers with lanterns, for example, feel almost like performers. The print offers a glimpse into the social dynamics of Edo period Japan, highlighting the roles of different classes in the city’s vibrant nightlife. The presence of those dogs in the lower-left is interesting. Curator: The materiality contributes so much. The texture of the paper, the registration of the blocks, all point to the skills of the artisans involved in the print's production. Editor: Absolutely, this print invites us to consider not only the depicted scene but also the wider social and cultural landscape in which it was made and consumed. Curator: A testament to the beauty in everyday labor and materials. Editor: And a celebration of Edo's social tapestry.