Kanaya c. 1840 - 1842

This print, Kanaya, was made by Utagawa Hiroshige using woodblock printing, a complex process of carving an image into wood, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. What is remarkable about this image is the contrast between the gentle landscape and the intense labor in the foreground. See how the workers strain to transport goods, their bodies bent under the weight. The very fine lines and flat planes of color emphasizes the toll of labor in this busy scene, where so many hands are engaged in the physical work of moving people and objects across this post station. Hiroshige's print opens a window into the economic realities of 19th-century Japan. By focusing on the modes of production, we can see the relationship between landscape, labor, and the circulation of goods. It is a reminder that even the most beautiful images can reveal the social structures that lie beneath the surface.