THIRTY-SIX VIEWS OF YEDO, "SANOGONGEN SETCHU" Possibly 1862

Editor: Here we have Utagawa Hiroshige II's "Sanogongen Setchu" from the series *Thirty-Six Views of Yedo*, a beautiful woodblock print dominated by snow. The repetition of the red architecture against the white landscape is quite striking. What do you see in the formal composition of this piece? Curator: Indeed. Notice the diagonal thrust created by the receding staircase, anchored by the red structures. The artist masterfully uses color to delineate space and form. The interplay between the yellow sky and the cool snow creates a dynamic tension. The strategic placement of figures adds a sense of scale and movement. Editor: That's fascinating. So, you see the tension primarily in the arrangement of color and the structural elements? Curator: Precisely. Hiroshige II employs these formal devices to construct a compelling visual experience, drawing the eye through the landscape. Editor: I see it now. The structure almost creates the story itself. Curator: Precisely. A testament to the power of form.