Okazaki, from the series Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō gojÅ«san tsugi) c. 1806

Curator: This is Hokusai’s "Okazaki, from the series Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō." The print captures a scene along a popular route. I’m immediately struck by the composition—the horizontal lines create such a sense of tranquility. Editor: The procession crossing the Yahagi Bridge is visually pleasing, but consider the socio-economic implications. How did labor practices support such travels and artistic productions? Curator: I see your point. The bridge itself becomes a focal point, doesn’t it? Its structure and the act of crossing it guide our eyes through the landscape. Editor: Precisely! The woodblock printing, a process involving specialized labor, was crucial for disseminating such images to a wider audience, shaping perceptions of landscape and travel. Curator: So, in considering this image, we appreciate not just its aesthetic appeal, but also how the means of its production contributed to cultural exchange? Editor: Exactly. The materiality and the labor are inextricable from our experience of the image. It all gives a new weight to the beauty it holds.