Listening to the Voice of Utagawa Hiroshige: A Gaze and Desire for Landscapes (Premiere Collection 85)

In the late Edo period, as society matured and the stirrings of "opening the country" were felt, the landscape was undergoing major changes. It is no coincidence that landscape painters such as Hokusai and Hiroshige were active during this period, which continues to this day. Utagawa Hiroshige, in particular, left behind not only paintings but also works that incorporate his own words. Hiroshige's words in "Ehon Edo Souvenirs" reveal his unique view of landscape. What was it that Hiroshige wanted to convey through his picture books? It is not just about the bright life of Edo, but also the reality of "landscapes" that are overlooked in everyday life and rapidly slip away from people's grasp amidst social change.