Tenjin Shrine at Yushima c. 1839 - 1842

This print was created by Utagawa Hiroshige in Japan. He was a master of the ukiyo-e style, which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Ukiyo-e, meaning “pictures of the floating world,” were made using woodblocks. A separate block was needed for each color, demanding careful labor and close coordination between the artist, block carver, and printer. This division of labor made the prints relatively inexpensive and available to a wide audience. Here, Hiroshige’s composition draws us into the scene. The soft colors and meticulous lines, capture the everyday life around the Tenjin Shrine at Yushima. Kites dot the sky, echoing the aspirations of the people below. The very process of making this image– requiring collaboration and craft–mirrors the interconnectedness of the community it portrays. It's a reminder that art, like life, is often a collective endeavor.