Enoshima in Sagami Province (SōshÅ« Enoshima no zu) c. 1847 - 1852

Editor: So, this is "Enoshima in Sagami Province" by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. It looks like a woodblock print. I'm really struck by how many tiny figures are scrambling all over the landscape. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Considering Kuniyoshi's process, the woodblock technique itself is integral. Each color demands a separate block, highlighting a complex division of labor. How does the mass production of prints for popular consumption affect its status as 'art'? Editor: That's a good question. So, it being a popular print, made in multiples, makes it less…precious? Curator: Precisely. And how might the availability of such imagery influence perceptions of landscape and travel for the average person? Editor: I never considered that. It’s like early tourism marketing, shaping desires through readily available, mass-produced images. Curator: Exactly. Thinking about the materials and the method of production really opens up what the work can mean.