Kyobashi Bridge 1858

This woodblock print of Kyobashi Bridge was made by Utagawa Hiroshige in 19th century Japan. The image presents a view of urban life under the shogunate. Hiroshige was a member of the Utagawa school, which was known for its depictions of everyday life. This print captures a scene of people crossing the Kyobashi Bridge at night, with a boatman poling his way through the water below. Woodblock prints like this one were made for a mass market, and this one suggests an interest in depicting the ordinary lives of people in Japan. The choice of a bridge as a subject also speaks to the increasing urbanization and development of infrastructure in Japan at this time. To fully understand this print, one might look at the history of urban development in Japan, the economics of printmaking in the 19th century, and the social function of art in Japanese society. In doing so, we come to understand that a work of art is not simply a product of individual genius, but rather a reflection of broader social and institutional forces.