Illustrated Satirical Poems About Famous Scenic Views in Edo (Kyōka Edo meisho zue), Vol. 2 Possibly 1856

Curator: This is a page from Utagawa Hiroshige's "Illustrated Satirical Poems About Famous Scenic Views in Edo," part of a two-volume set held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Well, immediately, it feels airy and almost ephemeral. The line work is delicate, yet the landscape feels so vast. Curator: Hiroshige was a master of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and this series offers a fascinating look at how Edo, now Tokyo, was perceived and portrayed. The poems, too, add another layer. Editor: I like how the mountain in the background is so faint, and yet it anchors everything. It is like a silent witness to the everyday scenes unfolding in the foreground. Curator: Indeed. The series provides insight into the social and cultural milieu of the period, highlighting the intersection of art, literature, and popular culture. Editor: Yes, it all comes across very calm, and makes me want to sit down and write a poem myself. It is as though he left space in the picture for me to fill in with my own feelings.