Fujieda 1906

Editor: This woodblock print is titled "Fujieda," made in 1906 by Utagawa Hiroshige. It gives me a sense of organized chaos with all these figures interacting with each other while framed in an outdoor setting. What do you notice about the relationships within this composition? Curator: Note how the artist deftly juxtaposes foreground activity with background scenery. This is done primarily through sharp, angular lines contrasted by softer, blended textures and subtle gradations. Notice that a foreground’s starkness pulls our focus to detailed action. Editor: So you’re pointing to how Hiroshige created this visual distinction as a way of directing my gaze? Curator: Precisely. How else would you analyze these forms and relationships? Are there other qualities that stand out to you in Hiroshige's treatment of forms? Editor: Now that you mention it, the blocky shapes of the goods being moved contrast strongly with the organic shapes of the human forms, giving the artwork its balanced tension. The arrangement of figures is complex and invites closer inspection to see how they relate. The flat treatment of forms is definitely a function of the woodblock printing technique. Curator: Correct. The relationship of the flatness with form certainly stands out and brings us to a full reading of the artwork and how form facilitates cultural insight. Editor: So by looking at these components and how they are presented, we can develop a fuller understanding of Hiroshige’s skill.