Village in Harima 1951

Toshi Yoshida made this print of a village in Harima using the Japanese woodblock printing technique of mokuhanga. Can you imagine the patient and meticulous labour involved in carving the blocks for each colour? There is something so simple, and yet so affecting, about this streetscape. The sun is high in the sky, the children are at play, and the scene has a warm, relaxed quality. The artist’s choice of muted tones lends the picture a gentle, nostalgic feel. I wonder what he was thinking as he made this picture. Was he thinking of Ukiyo-e masters like Hokusai and Hiroshige, and their iconic prints of Japanese landscapes and city life? Yoshida’s view of Harima is a world away from those dramatic, dynamic compositions, but it's interesting to see how artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.