Kyoto 1906

This print of Kyoto by Utagawa Hiroshige, was made some time in the mid-19th century. The scene captures a serene landscape, with the bridge dominating the foreground. I wonder what Hiroshige was thinking as he placed each figure on the bridge. Did he consider where the eye would travel, which way we'd walk? Look at how he repeats forms, and varies colors, it's like a kind of rhythmic journey. I imagine him carefully carving each block, and layering colors like a slow dance. You can almost feel the breeze, smell the cherry blossoms. Hiroshige has a way of capturing the essence of a place, it's not just a picture, it's a feeling. It reminds me a bit of Hokusai, but there's something more intimate here. I like to think of artists, across time, speaking to each other through their work. Hiroshige’s piece, with its quiet energy, continues to provoke conversation even now.