Mitsumata Dividing Pool (Mitsumata Wakarenofuchi), Number 57 from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei) Possibly 1857

Curator: This is Utagawa Hiroshige's "Mitsumata Dividing Pool," number 57 from his series "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Look at the boats sailing along the water in this distinctive woodblock print. Editor: It's so incredibly serene, isn't it? Like a postcard from a dream, with the soft hues and gentle ripples on the water. Curator: Hiroshige's meticulous use of color and line highlights the process of woodblock printing. We can see the key block’s sharp lines juxtaposed with the flat planes of color created by the other blocks. This attention to the means of production elevates what could be seen as a popular art form. Editor: Exactly! And that singular mountain in the distance… Fuji perhaps? It anchors the whole scene, offering a sense of timelessness against the everyday labor on those boats. Curator: The print shows the means of livelihood integrated into these famous scenes of Edo, creating a portrait of the city's material culture and the social context of its production and consumption. Editor: You're right, it's a snapshot of daily life, transformed into something ethereal. It leaves me wondering about the stories behind each little boat.