Untitled 

This is a woodblock print by Keisai Eisen, made in Japan in the first half of the 19th century. Eisen was a leading artist in the ukiyo-e tradition which, translated literally, means ‘pictures of the floating world’. This artwork gives us a bird’s eye view of a temple complex, complete with bustling crowds. In the background, we see the iconic Mount Fuji, a frequent symbol of Japanese identity. The print comes from a time of relative peace and prosperity in Japan, under the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Woodblock prints were affordable and widely accessible, catering to a growing urban population with leisure time and disposable income. But this was also a period of rigid social hierarchies, with strict rules governing dress and behavior for different classes. The ‘floating world’ of ukiyo-e offered an escape from these constraints, a space for the enjoyment of art, theatre, and pleasure. As historians, we might use diaries, literature, and government records to better understand the social context of this image. In so doing, we can appreciate how this artwork both reflected and shaped the culture of its time.