Meguro Drum Bridge and Sunset Hill Possibly 1857

This woodblock print, made by Utagawa Hiroshige, captures Meguro Drum Bridge under a blanket of snow. The arched bridge, reminiscent of a drum, is not merely a structure but a symbol of transition, a passage between realms. Consider the bridge as a motif: bridges have always been a connection between the earthly and spiritual worlds, or between the known and unknown. In ancient Roman art, bridges symbolized imperial power, while in medieval Christian art, they often represented the path to salvation, a connection to the divine. Here, in Hiroshige's rendering, the bridge is a part of the everyday, yet it carries the same symbolic weight. The snow, too, is not just a meteorological phenomenon. It is a veil, a transformative element that blankets the landscape, inviting introspection. It is a pause, a moment of stillness that allows one to delve into the subconscious. Just as the snow covers and transforms the landscape, so too do our memories alter our perception of the world. Through the ages, it is these symbols that persist, taking on new forms, yet resonating with our deepest selves.