A seaside outing c. 1801 - 1804

Curator: Look at this gorgeous triptych by Utagawa Toyokuni I, a woodblock print titled "A seaside outing", dating from around 1801 to 1804, which now resides here at the Art Institute of Chicago. Editor: Oh, wow! The instant feeling is of such gentle leisure. The ladies look incredibly stylish. Curator: Absolutely. Utagawa's art beautifully captures Edo period culture. Focus on the meticulous detail in their robes – look how they’re sitting together, these sophisticated city dwellers enjoying a day by the sea. The composition, divided into these three panels, makes you feel like you are almost intruding into their private world, catching little glimpses of their relaxed existence, far from the madding crowds of the metropolis, as it were. Editor: The waves breaking, the children picking up shells... and all those muted shades... So restful. The horizon line really flattens the perspective. Do you think there's a deeper narrative at play? Curator: It’s suggestive rather than prescriptive. I am interested in the way Toyokuni is not only depicting fashionable trends but, crucially, is subtly exploring shifting social relationships and spaces. The clothing, accessories, poses... they all contribute to this vivid record of its period. A beautiful little time capsule. Editor: The faces, the colors of those textiles—even with their conventions—they're so emotionally evocative. I imagine those colors must have looked vibrant, rich, new. Curator: Exactly! It feels intensely alive, even all these centuries on. There’s something beautifully intimate in that captured moment that lets you imagine a whole day in their lives and, frankly, to envy them for it too. Editor: Right, to daydream about a slower-paced and serene moment on the shoreline like that. I think I’ll cherish that mood long after we leave. Thanks for bringing my attention to "A seaside outing".