Mount Kaso in Kazusa Province (Kazusa Kasozan), from the series Wrestling Matches between Mountains and Seas (Sankai mitate zumō) c. 20th century

Curator: Hiroshige's woodblock print, "Mount Kaso in Kazusa Province," part of his "Wrestling Matches between Mountains and Seas" series, immediately strikes me as a place of serenity, almost like a dream. Editor: The linear perspective of the seemingly endless staircase forces the viewer to focus on the labor-intensive process of traversing the sacred mountain. Curator: That staircase also makes me think of a path towards something, a goal, even enlightenment, doesn't it? And those tiny figures, ant-like on the climb, underscore our own smallness in the face of nature's grandeur. Editor: Absolutely, and the print's materiality—the woodblock printing itself—is a testament to a detailed labor. Each impression bearing the marks of production and the distribution of imagery within the landscape. Curator: It's funny how a simple scene can contain so many layers, both literal and figurative. Editor: Indeed, Hiroshige's print is a reflection on landscape, labor, and the climb toward the divine.