Fireworks over Ryōgoku, a Famous View of Edo late 18th to early 19th century

Editor: This is Utagawa Toyoharu’s “Fireworks over Ryōgoku, a Famous View of Edo,” a woodblock print. I'm really struck by the depiction of everyday life and commerce in this piece. What can you tell me about the materials and how they relate to the scene? Curator: Well, consider the woodblock printing itself. It's a mass production technique, making art accessible. How does this accessibility then affect the representation of leisure and commerce within Edo society that we see here? Editor: That's interesting! So the medium is connected to the message, making the artwork available to a wider audience, reflecting the bustling commercial activity depicted. I hadn’t thought of that. Thanks! Curator: Precisely. And it highlights the commercialization of leisure itself, doesn't it?