Nagato Province, Shimonoseki (Nagato, Shimonoseki), from the series Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces [of Japan] ([Dai Nihon] RokujÅ«yoshÅ« meisho zue) Possibly 1856

Editor: This is Utagawa Hiroshige's woodblock print, *Nagato Province, Shimonoseki.* The water dominates, and the boats give a sense of scale. What do you see in the composition of this print? Curator: The artist employs a distinct foreground-background dialectic, doesn't he? Note the use of lines—vertical masts against the horizontal water and distant shore—creating visual tension. The colors, while muted, are strategically placed to guide the eye. What effect does the texture of the water have on you? Editor: The texture makes the water look very tactile, almost solid. So you are saying it’s the contrast in line and color that gives the print its dynamism? Curator: Precisely! And the very materiality of the woodblock medium contributes to the print’s overall aesthetic. I find the composition to be very successful. Editor: I agree. I hadn't noticed how much the texture and lines add to the feeling of depth.