CRANES FLYING ABOVE A WAVE Possibly 1858

Editor: This is Utagawa Hiroshige’s "Cranes Flying Above a Wave." It’s interesting how the artist captured the movement of the birds and the wave, making it feel dynamic. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Look closely at the woodblock print. The materials used, the paper, the ink, and the wood itself – they all speak to a system of production, a workshop. How does this reproductive process influence our understanding of Hiroshige's authorship and the artwork’s value? Editor: That’s fascinating! I never considered the labor behind a print like this. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: Thinking about the social context in which these prints were circulated also changes our perception of what we value in art today.