THIRTY-SIX VIEWS OF YEDO "YUJIMA TENJIN" ENRYU-GAWA NO DZU" c. 19th century

Editor: This is "Yujima Tenjin, Enryu-Gawa No Dzu" from Thirty-Six Views of Yedo, by Utagawa Hiroshige. I’m immediately drawn to the contrast between the detailed foreground and the misty background. What strikes you about this work? Curator: The woodblock printing process itself is key here. Consider the labor involved in carving these blocks and the social function of distributing these images widely, making landscapes accessible and consumable to a broad audience. Editor: So, you're saying the value lies in its accessibility through production? Curator: Precisely. The materiality of the print and its availability speak volumes about the culture of Edo period Japan and the commodification of its views. Editor: I see it now! Thinking about the process really does change how you see the image.