Hodogaya on the Tokaido 

Katsushika Hokusai created "Hodogaya on the Tokaido" as a woodblock print, using a technique that was both sophisticated and rooted in everyday life. The material, wood, gives the print its distinctive graphic quality. Each color you see required a separate block, meticulously carved and then printed in register, demanding incredible precision and skill. Look at the details of the figures and trees, all rendered with clean lines and flat planes of color. The process also influenced the composition, encouraging a clear, almost diagrammatic approach to the scene. Woodblock printing, while capable of great artistry, was also a commercial medium. Prints like this were relatively affordable and widely distributed, reflecting the rise of a merchant class and a growing interest in travel and landscape. The laborers depicted here, and the amount of labor required to produce the prints, are both indicative of the relationship between art, production, and consumption. Paying attention to materials and the processes behind them, we can recognize the broader cultural and social meanings embedded within this captivating image.