Hamamatsu 1906

This small woodblock print, Hamamatsu, was made by Utagawa Hiroshige in the 19th Century. With its muted blues and greens, it captures a quiet scene, almost like a fleeting memory. What strikes me is how Hiroshige achieves so much with so little. The way he uses delicate lines to define the figures, the subtle gradations of color in the sky. Look at the way the figures huddle around the base of the tree, their forms softened by the light. It's as if they're seeking solace, or perhaps just a moment of respite from the world. The surface has a gentle texture, a result of the wood grain from which the image was printed. This gives the whole picture a feeling of warmth, like it’s been aged by time. Think about the work of someone like Agnes Martin, who similarly creates a feeling of stillness and quiet contemplation, albeit through very different means. It's an ongoing conversation, this art thing. It's never really about answers, but about keeping the questions alive.