Tawara Tōda Hidesato in Audience with the Emperor 1880

Curator: We're looking at Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s woodblock print from 1880, entitled "Tawara Tōda Hidesato in Audience with the Emperor." Editor: It's incredibly detailed! All those figures neatly arranged. There's something ceremonial, almost stage-like about the composition, heightened by the woodblock technique. Curator: Absolutely, there's a very careful choreography depicted here. Woodblock prints like these were, in essence, a form of mass media. Ukiyo-e prints often showed these legendary or historical events, tying them to present-day political messages. Notice the arrangement of figures in the Emperor's chamber—Hidesato, the brave warrior, is presenting before the emperor. The whole visual vocabulary speaks to themes of respect and authority. Editor: The flat perspective and those meticulously drawn lines give it a distinctive feel, which certainly makes me think of the process itself and the division of labor inherent in this print production. Each step required precision. One block, one color, one craftsman, layered in just the right registration. Think about the cost of inks, paper and what distribution systems were needed! Curator: And consider what a cultural touchstone figures like Hidesato were. The dragon king’s request and his subsequent reward from the Emperor, represented ideas of justice, divine support, and order, highly influential symbols. I notice how the interior space frames and elevates the actors as figures with iconic power. Editor: Yes, those geometric shapes forming Hidesato's clothing have a presence of their own; they function to almost 'materialize' the authority granted to him. It speaks to a system, and a visual code instantly recognizable. Curator: Ultimately, Yoshitoshi is doing much more than retelling an old tale. Editor: Exactly! It really gets you considering not only what we’re seeing, but also how these printed images shaped society at the time and how intertwined process and political imagery could become.