Three Young Dreamers c. 1760

Torii Kiyohiro created this woodblock print, Three Young Dreamers, sometime in the mid-18th century. It offers insight into the social and cultural values of Edo-period Japan. The print depicts children engaged in everyday activities: playing games and napping, as they each dream of futures filled with wealth, love, and success. These dreamscapes, floating above their heads, are visualizations of aspiration. The composition uses visual codes and cultural references to depict desirable social roles. The children's dreams offer a glimpse into the collective hopes and values of the merchant class in urban Japan. This work is a testament to the social conditions that shape artistic production. By looking into artifacts from the Edo period, such as literature, theatre scripts, and other ukiyo-e prints, we can better understand how this image reflects and comments on the social structures of its time.