Cod and Halibut c. 1835 - 1839

Utagawa Hiroshige's woodblock print, "Cod and Halibut," presents a striking composition of marine life against a soft pink ground. The texture is remarkably rendered, from the scales of the blue cod to the spotted, buttery yellow flatness of the halibut, creating an unexpected tension between the real and the representational. Hiroshige uses dynamic asymmetry to destabilize traditional still life conventions. The diagonal thrust of the cod, juxtaposed with the horizontal sprawl of the halibut, disrupts any sense of static balance. This arrangement invites us to consider the relationships between form and space. How do these fish, so different in shape and color, challenge our notions of harmony? The meticulous detail given to texture contrasts with the flatness of the background, pushing and pulling at our perception. This print is not merely a depiction of fish but an exploration of visual dynamics. It invites us to question how we perceive form, color, and texture, and how these elements come together to create meaning.