Evening Snow at Kinryuzan Temple (Kinryuzan no bosetsu), from the series "Eight Fashionable Views of Edo (Furyu Edo hakkei)" c. 1778

Editor: So this woodblock print, “Evening Snow at Kinryuzan Temple” by Torii Kiyonaga, dates to around 1778. What strikes me is the rather subdued, almost melancholy mood it conveys, despite the presence of a fashionable woman. What’s your take on it? Curator: It's interesting that you pick up on that melancholic mood. Let's think about the context. This is part of a series called "Eight Fashionable Views of Edo." But whose views were considered 'fashionable' and at what cost? Kiyonaga's representation, while beautiful, also subtly reveals the social constraints placed upon women in Edo society. How might her isolation relate to those constraints, do you think? Editor: Well, the way she is depicted seems almost passive. Does that have anything to do with those constraints? Curator: Precisely. The passivity you observe speaks to the limited agency afforded to women. But the image also presents a kind of resistance. Notice the careful attention paid to her clothing, a form of self-expression and subtle rebellion. The very act of depicting these women contributed to a growing visibility. What does it mean to you that even her abandoned sandal takes centre-stage? Editor: It's almost like even that is calling for attention. A clue for those looking? Curator: That’s an insightful observation. This piece encourages us to examine the complexities of gender, class, and representation in 18th-century Japan, to consider how seemingly simple genre scenes can reveal deeper social and political dynamics at play. We get a glimpse into these fashionable women in Edo, while contemplating the tensions of power. Editor: I didn't think of the sandal that way! This has made me reconsider the narratives that get told through what seem to be simple depictions of everyday life.