Mariko 1906

This print, Mariko, was made by Utagawa Hiroshige, and is now in the Rijksmuseum. Look at how the whole scene is built from tonal blocks of colour that are layered up to make the final image. Imagine Hiroshige thinking about how to depict this scene. The lone traveller moving across the open ground, the tea house nestled under a hillside. There’s something melancholy about it. Is the traveller leaving or just arriving? Where is he going? I imagine the artist deciding to go with these soft pinks and greens to evoke a feeling of calm and perhaps to remind us of the fleeting nature of time. I love the soft gradations of colour used to create depth and atmosphere. The attention to detail in depicting the tea house, with its thatched roof and warm interior light, is very seductive. When I look at this piece I feel like I’m peering into another world, catching a glimpse of daily life long ago. I love the exchange of ideas across time. It reminds me that every mark we make as artists is part of an ongoing conversation.