No. 40 c. 1835 - 1838

Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print captures a sudden downpour, with travelers caught between shelter and the road. Made in Japan, in the mid-19th century, Hiroshige's print was part of a popular series called "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo." These prints, sold to a broad public, reveal much about the culture of the time. The image uses a visual code that balances the beauty of nature with the realities of everyday life. Note how the sudden rain contrasts with the calm of the travelers taking shelter. Japan’s geography and climate certainly influenced the choice of the subject, as did the growing urbanization of Edo. It's worth remembering the institutional context of these prints, which were made within a complex system of publishers, artists, and woodblock carvers. The art wasn’t just a reflection of society, but a commodity within it. As historians, we might look at travel logs, weather reports, and publishing records of the time to understand the full meaning of this image, appreciating art not as an isolated object, but as a product of specific social conditions.