Nihonbashi 1855

Editor: This is Utagawa Hiroshige's "Nihonbashi," created in 1855. It's a woodblock print. The scene feels very dynamic; it depicts a bustling bridge and waterfront. What are your initial thoughts? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the materiality. Look at the evidence of labor in each precise line of the woodblock print. The grain of the wood itself likely influenced Hiroshige’s carving decisions, don’t you think? Consider the immense labour involved in producing the blocks themselves, not just by Hiroshige, but by teams of skilled artisans. Editor: I hadn’t considered the physical process that deeply, but now that you mention it, the level of detail is extraordinary. The buildings, the boats, and especially the bridge look like they demanded painstaking work. Curator: Precisely. Also think about how the urban landscape depicted reflects specific socio-economic factors. This bridge facilitated the distribution of goods and the flow of people. So, the woodblock is both a product and a mirror of commerce. What kind of materials do you imagine are being traded or consumed based on the evidence here? Editor: Hmm, I see figures carrying things... possibly textiles? It’s all packed quite densely, though. Curator: And how does the repetition of figures, bridge supports, and even the strokes used to depict water, inform our understanding of the repetitive labor present at the time? Even the consumption of prints such as this were bound up with merchant activities. Editor: It reframes how I look at the image; I initially focused on its beauty, but now I’m thinking about the production, labour, and distribution it represents. Thanks, this has helped me to appreciate how intertwined the art is with the economy around it. Curator: Indeed! The 'high art' here is inextricably bound up with daily economic survival.