Illustrated Book: Scenes of Suruga and Edo (Ehon suruga-mai), 3rd of 3 volumes Possibly 1790

Editor: This is a page from Utamaro's "Scenes of Suruga and Edo," a book made during the Late Edo period. It's mostly line drawings. It feels delicate, almost like a fleeting memory. What captures your attention in this piece? Curator: It's the quiet observation, isn't it? Utamaro’s showing us the everyday – people strolling, a sturdy stone embankment, a lantern casting a soft glow. It’s as if he’s inviting us to pause and appreciate the beauty in the mundane. I wonder, do you sense a hint of nostalgia in the air, a longing for simpler times perhaps? Editor: I do. It's like a snapshot from a time long past, rendered with such care. Thanks, I see it differently now.