Landscape 

Curator: This is "Landscape" by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, created sometime before his death in 1861. The print is currently housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: A quiet scene, almost dreamlike, with that hazy sun... it’s immediately soothing. You just want to step into it. Curator: Look closely at how Kuniyoshi used woodblock printing to create texture. See how the lines define the trees and the rocky cliffs, suggesting depth and form through layering. Editor: The interesting part is the choice to use wood, a material extracted from nature, to then represent nature. It speaks to the relationship between humans and the environment. Curator: It's true, and there’s a certain detachment in the way the landscape is rendered, maybe even a longing for nature idealized rather than experienced. Editor: Maybe, but the woodblock itself is also a medium for mass production. Landscape for everyone, not just the wealthy. That changes the narrative. Curator: I hadn’t thought of that. It’s almost as if Kuniyoshi is democratizing the experience of beauty. Editor: Exactly! It’s about making the sublime accessible, carving out a little piece of nature for the masses.