Illustrated Satirical Poems About Famous Scenic Views in Edo (Kyōka Edo meisho zue), Vol. 14 Possibly 1856

Curator: Editor: This is Volume 14 of Utagawa Hiroshige's "Illustrated Satirical Poems About Famous Scenic Views in Edo," a book from the Edo period. The juxtaposition of landscape views with playful cats on rooftops is quite striking. What do you make of it? Curator: I'm drawn to the materiality of the print itself. Look at the paper, the ink, the very process of woodblock printing—each element speaks to the labor and materials involved in its creation. How does the context of its production influence your interpretation? Editor: It makes me think about the intended audience. Would they have seen this as high art, or something more accessible, perhaps even disposable? Curator: Exactly! And considering the satirical nature of the poems alongside the scenic views, we can explore how this challenges traditional art categories. It's a fascinating intersection of craft, commentary, and consumption. Editor: I hadn't considered it that way, but the materiality really grounds it in its time and place. Thanks!