Popular Pillars of the Spring Sumo Tournament Possibly 1868

Curator: Looking at this, I immediately think: grumpy sumo wrestler. He just seems so…resigned. Editor: This intriguing piece is titled "Popular Pillars of the Spring Sumo Tournament," possibly from 1868. It’s a woodblock print in ink, part of the Ukiyo-e tradition, now residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Let’s unpack what that tells us. Curator: Ukiyo-e! "Pictures of the Floating World," right? Fitting, because he does seem adrift, like he's floating on a sea of blue dye. I’m immediately drawn to how the stark lines of his ruffled collar contrasts with that vibrant, almost electric, cobalt background. Makes you think about the labor involved, carving those blocks. Editor: Exactly. We should consider the collaborative production of these prints, where the artist's design was realized through the skilled hands of carvers and printers, working for publishers who catered to a growing urban consumer culture. This image would have been reproduced multiple times and consumed en masse. This print would be affordable due to those processes. Curator: The flowers patterned on his knees though, provide a welcome counterpoint. Those details soften the mood. So the floral pattern is quite interesting here on this individual's clothing; it is bringing nature into something artificial. Editor: Absolutely. The flowers combined with the strong lines of his outfit underscore this image’s role in both reflecting and shaping popular culture. The work blurs the lines of art and design, high art and craft, since these works existed to circulate and appeal to the everyman. Curator: It is interesting how these mass reproductions allowed the art of Sumo to be consumed by many more than the people who attended those specific matches. Also thinking about his specific pose and it has a touch of irreverence...or is that just me projecting? Editor: Not at all! The artist, Toyohara Kunichika, clearly injected personality into the piece, presenting what looks like a candid moment with its own inherent contradictions; a bit weary, and a bit theatrical at once! Curator: Exactly! And it reminds us that, even in art from centuries ago, you can feel a very contemporary pulse. The art can always give a hint into human existence, not matter what the location.