Autumn Moon at Ishiyama c. 1834

This is "Autumn Moon at Ishiyama," a woodblock print made by Utagawa Hiroshige, sometime before his death in 1858. The print exemplifies ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating world," a popular art form in Japan's Edo period. The materials are humble – paper, pigments, and wood – but the process is exacting. Each color requires a separate block, carved in relief, inked, and then carefully registered on the paper. It was a commercial art, widely available, and yet the effects could be breathtaking. Here, Hiroshige captures a tranquil scene, the moon hanging over the landscape. You can almost feel the cool night air. The print is a testament to the power of craft to evoke not only visual delight but also a sense of place and atmosphere. It blurs the line between art and design, offering beauty to all who could afford it, and it reminds us that great art can be found in the most accessible of forms.