from the series Cutout Pictures of Famous Places in Edo (Edo meisho harimaze zue) c. 20th century

Curator: Utagawa Hiroshige, who lived from 1797 to 1858, created this print, part of the series *Cutout Pictures of Famous Places in Edo*. The composition is really striking; it feels like a collection of memories. Editor: Yes, there's a quiet, almost dreamlike quality to it. All these blue hues and the soft lines contribute to that mood. You can almost smell the rain, or feel the cool breeze. Curator: Absolutely. Blue, or *aizuri-e*, was a popular color in Japanese prints at the time, and Hiroshige really captured a sense of place. Each scene, from the ducks on the pond to the distant landscape, feels like a complete little world. It is a celebration of the beauty of Edo. Editor: It's interesting to think about who these places were for. It’s tempting to consider how this idealized vision of Edo might obscure its more complex, and likely unequal, social realities. Curator: True. The power of these images is undeniable, their ability to distill and preserve cultural memory. Editor: And, of course, question it. Curator: Of course, and that’s the beauty of art, isn't it?