Tama River in Musashi Province c. 1834 - 1837

Hokumyō created this woodblock print, "Tama River in Musashi Province," in the 1830s. It’s a small image, part of a series of prints that captured famous views of Japan. Woodblock prints were cheap, and the industry was rigorously policed by the Tokugawa Shogunate. The authorities censored anything that might undermine their power. Nonetheless, they couldn't stop artists from engaging in subtle forms of social commentary. What do we make, for example, of the contrast between the serene view of Mount Fuji and the working people in the foreground? Perhaps, the artist wanted to draw attention to the social realities that underpin the beauty of nature. To understand this image fully, one would need to research the political and economic conditions of 1830s Japan, to better understand the state control of art and the ways artists negotiated it. Woodblock prints like this one serve as important historical documents, giving us insight into a culture's values, beliefs, and social structures.