Foothills of the Kongō Mountains in Korea (Kongō sanroku) c. 1912

Curator: Hirafuku Hyakusui, a prominent figure in early 20th-century Japanese painting, created this piece titled "Foothills of the Kongō Mountains in Korea." Editor: The immediate impression is stark beauty—the bold black lines give the scene a sense of quiet strength and resilience. Curator: It's fascinating how Hyakusui uses a traditional medium to depict a landscape in colonial Korea, reflecting the complex relationship between Japan and its territories at the time. Editor: The way the artist renders the trees, each with such distinct character through varied line work, really emphasizes their individuality within the broader landscape. Curator: Indeed, the image serves as a reminder of the cultural and political entanglements shaping artistic expression during the early 1900s. Editor: The materiality of the print medium itself contributes to the rawness of the depicted landscape; it's quite masterful.