Mt. Fuji Above the Clouds, copy after Hokkei's print from the set of Three Lucky Dreams 

Editor: Here we have Toyota Hokkei's "Mt. Fuji Above the Clouds, copy after Hokkei's print from the set of Three Lucky Dreams," a woodblock print in watercolor. It’s quite striking how the clouds seem more solid than the mountain itself. What elements stand out to you in this piece? Curator: What intrigues me are the conditions of its production, and the social status afforded to prints like this one. These weren't unique works intended for the wealthy, but commodities accessible to a wider population. Consider the labor involved: the artist, the woodblock carver, the printer, and the distributors – each contributing to the final product. Editor: That's fascinating! It changes how I see the final artwork, knowing it was made more collaboratively, like a production. Curator: Exactly! The woodblock print democratized artmaking and collecting. Ukiyo-e prints were often given as souvenirs, illustrating that they functioned as both art objects and also something to do with a developing tourist trade. We could consider if it really "captures" Mount Fuji in some kind of essentialist way. Was the purpose simply art for art's sake? No, its significance resided just as much in its circulation, accessibility, and exchange value. Even as a copy after Hokkei, we're seeing a repetition, a mass-produced image that was intended to spread. What does that imply about artistic value? Editor: So, thinking about who had access and why… That makes this image of Mt. Fuji feel almost radical, a landscape for the masses rather than an exclusive privilege. It's no longer just a mountain; it's an artifact of production and consumption. Curator: Precisely. Reflecting on its journey, from artist's design to block cutter's skill to market stall. The materials themselves – paper, ink, wood – their availability and cost, these all shaped the image we see. Editor: I never thought about art in that light before! Thanks to this perspective, I’ll definitely view art with a new set of considerations moving forward.