Mimasaka Province, Yamabushi Valley (Mimasaka, Yamabushidani), from the series Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces [of Japan] ([Dai Nihon] RokujÅ«yoshÅ« meisho zue) Possibly 1853 - 1856

Curator: Hiroshige's woodblock print, "Mimasaka Province, Yamabushi Valley," immediately strikes me with its overwhelming sense of rain. Editor: The downpour is undeniable, and the parallel lines create a visual barrier, almost obscuring the figures and landscape. I wonder what the labour conditions were like for the artisans producing these prints? Curator: That's a good question! But consider how the driving rain, a cultural symbol in Japanese art, perhaps represents purification or renewal in this context. The figures, caught in the storm, suggest vulnerability. Editor: Or the figures could be representative of the Yamabushi, ascetic hermits. Still, the use of woodblocks to mass produce these prints and their distribution reflects changing modes of production and consumption, and the commercialization of landscape imagery during this period. Curator: I see your point; the materiality is significant. But I'm drawn to the enduring themes – nature's power, human resilience. Editor: Ultimately, I think it shows how closely intertwined cultural significance and material conditions truly are.