Portraits for One Hundred Poems about One Hundred Poets (Sugata-e hyakunin isshu) 1695

This woodblock print by Hishikawa Moronobu is part of *Portraits for One Hundred Poems about One Hundred Poets*, made in Japan during the Edo period. Immediately, one notices how line dictates the visual structure, creating a complex interplay between the figures and the calligraphic text. The composition is split across two pages, yet the characters and horizon line visually connect them. The figures are rendered with precise, rhythmic lines, their garments adorned with patterns that suggest depth and texture despite the print's flatness. This interplay of line and form creates a sophisticated visual language, characteristic of the Ukiyo-e tradition. Moronobu masterfully employs the woodblock medium to flatten the space. This challenges traditional perspectives, emphasizing instead the surface and the graphic quality of the image. This interplay between text and image, and the dynamic arrangement of figures within a shallow space, invites viewers to decipher the codes of Edo-period aesthetics. This print is not merely representational, it is a carefully constructed visual field that reflects cultural and philosophical ideals.