Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 1: “Offering Incense to the Deity of the Stone” (Yōgōishi), from the series History of Kamakura (Kamakura shi) 1810 - 1816

Kubo Shunman created this woodblock print titled "Offering Incense to the Deity of the Stone" with ink and color on paper. The composition is structured by the placement of two figures, one kneeling and the other seated. Note how the artist uses line to define forms and create texture. The flat, almost abstract use of color emphasizes the printed nature of the work, highlighting the materiality of the medium. The figure on the right is a deity constructed through symbolic markers: its elaborate headdress and robe suggest a figure of importance, while the incense offered by the kneeling figure on the left implies reverence. Consider how the text integrated into the design functions not just as a narrative element, but also as a visual component that interacts with the imagery. The contrast between the organic shapes of the figures and the geometric patterns on the deity’s robe destabilizes conventional hierarchies of representation. This print challenges fixed notions of devotion and artistry.