Kanagawa c. 1840 - 1842

This is Utagawa Hiroshige’s ‘Kanagawa,’ a woodblock print. This wasn’t a singular creation. Hiroshige, who was active in the first half of the 19th century, would have drawn the image, which was then transferred and carved into woodblocks, inked, and printed onto paper. Woodblock prints like this are fascinating because they combine artistic skill with repetitive labor. The crisp lines, the blocks of color, the atmospheric gradation of the sky – all of these are achieved through careful carving and printing. This was all part of a booming industry, as these prints were relatively inexpensive and widely available. While Hiroshige’s design captures a sense of serene beauty, it's important to remember the labor involved in its production, and the dynamics of a popular market keen to consume these images. It challenges our traditional ideas of art, emphasizing the importance of process, social context, and the blurring of lines between art, craft, and commerce.