The Spiral Hall at the Temple of the Five Hundred Arhats c. 1832 - 1838

Utagawa Hiroshige created this woodblock print, “The Spiral Hall at the Temple of the Five Hundred Arhats," in the mid-19th century. The print belongs to a series depicting various views of the city. Here, Hiroshige captures a scene that is both intimate and expansive, depicting everyday people making their way to the temple, perhaps seeking solace or enlightenment. We see figures in traditional garb, their forms bent under the weight of their labor, or perhaps the weight of their lives. The temple looms in the background, promising spiritual refuge amidst the realities of earthly existence. The artist’s use of perspective invites us to walk alongside the figures, to feel the textures of the landscape, and to imagine the sounds of the city. Hiroshige’s work serves as a window into a world where the sacred and the secular intertwine, reflecting the complex tapestry of human experience.