The Harbor at Shimizu in Suruga Province c. 1840 - 1842

Utagawa Hiroshige made this woodblock print called 'The Harbor at Shimizu in Suruga Province.' The image evokes a feeling of tranquility, yet we know it was made in a period of social and economic transformation. The composition, with its stylized trees and boats, uses visual codes to present an idealized version of Japanese life. It was created during the Edo period when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, a time of relative peace and prosperity but also strict social hierarchy. The woodblock printing technique itself was deeply embedded in the economic structures of the time. This print reflects the cultural values of the era, and a deep connection to the natural world. Prints like these were often produced for a growing urban middle class, who yearned for images of travel. As historians, we can delve deeper into understanding the social conditions that shaped this work through archival research, and studies of the Edo period. Ultimately, this artwork's meaning is contingent on its historical and institutional context.