"SNOW VIEW OF FUJI RIVER" c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have "Snow View of Fuji River" by Utagawa Hiroshige. I find the composition so striking—the bold blue river cutting through the snowy landscape. What social narratives might be at play here? Curator: Well, consider Hiroshige’s era, a time of strict social hierarchies in Japan. How might this serene landscape serve as both an escape from and a reflection of those societal constraints? Does the lone boat suggest individual freedom or isolation? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. Thank you. Curator: I think we both learned something new.