Illustrated Collection of Old Tales (Iwaki e-zukushi), Volume 2 Possibly 1683

Editor: Here we have Hishikawa Moronobu's "Illustrated Collection of Old Tales," volume 2. The book's woodblock prints create a fascinating composition, but the lines feel so different in each panel. What do you make of it? Curator: Consider the deliberate use of line weight. Notice how thicker, bolder strokes define the figures and landscape on the left, while finer lines detail the figure and flora on the right. Editor: So, it's a conscious choice, not a technical limitation? Curator: Precisely. The contrast creates a visual rhythm, guiding the eye across the page and suggesting different emotional registers within the narrative. What more do you see? Editor: That's enlightening. I'll definitely pay more attention to line variation in prints from now on! Curator: Indeed, a subtle but powerful tool for visual storytelling.