Regenstorm te Shono 1868 - 1950

Editor: This woodblock print, "Regenstorm te Shono," by Utagawa Hiroshige, probably dating from the mid-19th century, beautifully depicts a rainstorm. The slanted lines really create a sense of intense downpour. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: For me, it's about that shared human experience of enduring discomfort, that awkward dance with nature. Look how the figures huddle forward, almost leaning into the rain, as if they could force their way through it. And yet, there's also this sense of determined progress, that journey continuing despite the inclemency. The Japonisme influence is apparent too – that elegant simplification, the stylized rain, nature depicted not realistically but as felt. I imagine myself there, battling the elements… have you ever felt completely transported by a piece like this? Editor: Definitely! It makes you feel a part of something larger. The details, like the way the figures' clothing clings to them, adds so much to the atmosphere. It is more like a feeling and not an accurate capture of rain itself. Curator: Exactly! It is about that sensation. And there is something almost theatrical, too, isn’t there? Like we’re glimpsing a stage set, where the real drama is unspoken, lingering between the raindrops and those hunched figures. Editor: It’s a compelling narrative without a single word, isn't it? I understand it much better now. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure. I feel refreshed and inspired by looking at this piece through your eyes as well.