Night View of Saruwaka-machi 1857

Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print, *Night View of Saruwaka-machi*, invites us into the bustling theater district of Edo, now Tokyo. Created during the Edo period, a time of relative peace and flourishing urban culture, this print captures a moment in the lives of the city's inhabitants. Notice the figures in the foreground: How their identities might be shaped by the sociopolitical structure of the time? In this period, social mobility was restricted, and one's class dictated their roles and opportunities. The people depicted are likely merchants, artisans, and performers who frequented this district. What can we tell about the relationship between gender and class from their clothes and accessories? Hiroshige masterfully uses light and shadow to create a sense of depth and atmosphere, almost blurring the boundaries between observer and observed. Consider how Hiroshige uses color to evoke a specific mood or emotional response. This print invites us to reflect on the vibrant, complex social fabric of Edo and the many identities that animated it. It reminds us that art, like life, is often found in the interplay of light and shadow, joy and sorrow, individual and collective experiences.