Man Attempting to Lift the "Tiger Stone" (Tora ga Ishi)/ Ōiso, from the series Exhaustive Illustrations of the Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō gojÅ«santsugi ezukushi) Possibly 1810

Editor: So, this small woodblock print by Hokusai, "Man Attempting to Lift the 'Tiger Stone'," feels so grounded, despite the comical expressions. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I see a commentary on labor and the performance of masculinity. This image, part of a series on the Tōkaidō road, highlights the experience of ordinary people. Is the tiger stone a symbol of the burdens they carry? Editor: Possibly! The title certainly directs our reading. I didn't think about burdens at first. Curator: How might class and gender inform their struggle and the expressions that convey their efforts? Editor: Hmm, I am not sure, I'll have to think about that. Thanks! Curator: Indeed, and considering Hokusai's own challenges, it adds another layer. Let's both think about it.