Katase: View of the Seashore from Mount Shichimen (Katase, Shichimenzan yori umibe o miru), from the series (?) The Enoshima Road on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō no uchi Enoshima michi) c. 20th century

Editor: So, this is "Katase: View of the Seashore from Mount Shichimen" by Utagawa Hiroshige. It's a woodblock print and I find it really striking how he captures the vastness of the landscape. What story do you think this image tells us about Japan at the time? Curator: Hiroshige's prints were incredibly popular, shaping how people *saw* Japan, both domestically and internationally. Consider the rise of tourism along routes like the Tōkaidō. How might this print have functioned as both a record and a promoter of that experience? Editor: So, it’s not just a pretty picture, but part of a larger cultural phenomenon? Curator: Exactly! The print's circulation helped solidify the image of Japan as a destination, influencing artistic trends and even political perceptions of the country. Editor: That’s fascinating; I never considered the political side of landscapes before. Curator: Precisely! It shows how art isn't made in a vacuum, but actively shapes our understanding of the world around us.