Outing in the Autumn Field c. 1830 - 1844

Curator: Ueda Kōkei’s woodblock print, "Outing in the Autumn Field," created sometime between 1830 and 1844, captures a serene moment, doesn’t it? What strikes you about it? Editor: It’s breezy! Those long grasses, the subtle palette—it's all so wistful and evocative. There’s an interesting contrast too, with the rigid vertical lines in the upper right, almost like a fragmented screen, and the organic flow of the figures. Curator: Absolutely. The composition masterfully plays with tradition. You've got that quintessential Ukiyo-e focus on everyday life – here, these two figures out for a stroll, rendered in a style readily accessible to the merchant class. However, the prominent calligraphy pushes us to see the image less as a "snapshot" and more like a dialogue with the poetry it features. It encourages viewers to connect themes of nature, transience, and relationships. Editor: You’re right, it isn't a simple snapshot! It makes me wonder what the poem says, whether it’s related to their conversation...or to what they are seeing on this 'outing’. I also see an interesting juxtaposition between text and figures—sort of two parallel narratives happening. And it reminds me of vintage postcards, capturing transient, melancholic feelings. Curator: Precisely, the ephemerality of moments and emotions! It touches upon very similar ideas prevalent in feminist discourse—lived experiences, identity formation, but through the particular lens of Edo-period Japan. Think about how societal expectations shaped leisure, travel, even clothing choices for women during that time. What might appear a charming countryside scene invites an examination of gender roles within a stratified social hierarchy. Editor: True! There is definitely an emotional depth to what is going on between the figures, too, almost a coded world to the woman and the society that she inhabits. Curator: And through that seemingly small snapshot of this world, these works open vast conversations with what that was, and how it still reverberates now. Editor: Exactly, those brief glimpses, small moments captured… it almost makes the 'outing' we are now doing feel special and very present!