Boy and Girl Looking at the Rising Sun of the New Year 19th century

Ryūryūkyo Shinsai created this woodblock print titled "Boy and Girl Looking at the Rising Sun of the New Year" sometime around 1820. Shinsai, who was both an artist and a book designer, lived during the late Edo period, a time of economic growth, strict social order, and flourishing arts and culture. The print depicts two figures, one pointing towards the horizon where the sun is rising. The dawn of a new year is a potent symbol of hope and renewal, reflecting the deep-seated human desire for fresh starts and better futures. There is something incredibly moving in the anticipation of the new year that Shinsai captures here. Consider the different ways that gender is expressed through clothing and gesture. What does it mean to witness the sunrise with another person? How is Shinsai depicting the interweaving of personal hopes with cultural rituals? Ultimately, this print resonates with a feeling that is both deeply personal and universally shared: the hope that the new year will bring brighter days.