The Road to Nikko 1930

Curator: This woodblock print, created in 1930, is entitled "The Road to Nikko." The artist is Hasui Kawase. Editor: The towering trees immediately give the print a sense of serene majesty. The vertical emphasis in its composition evokes an almost spiritual experience. Curator: Absolutely. Nikko, itself, has become something of a symbol in the Japanese landscape. Since the Edo period, Nikko has been well known as a sacred site containing the mausolea of the Tokugawa shoguns. The journey *to* Nikko is culturally important as the destination itself. Editor: I see how the symbolic meaning relates to a path or pilgrimage. Still, formally, I am struck by the stark tonal contrast between the cool blues in the upper register of the image, juxtaposed with the darker trunks in the forest. This dramatic lighting strengthens the mood. Curator: Note the lone figure on the path, likely a representation of the average Edo traveler. Hasui presents the traveler moving with respect and perhaps even devotion through this space. It encourages contemplation about journeys, whether physical or spiritual. We are each alone on our paths through life, walking towards understanding. Editor: A beautiful reading. Also, observe the artist’s precise control of the woodblock technique. The subtle gradations of color are achieved with great skill and attention to detail. Consider how each plane of the image contributes depth and form, pulling the viewer down the road. Curator: Kawase certainly mastered the *ukiyo-e* technique, here turning a conventional image into something that feels eternal and familiar. These grand trees along a historic route carry so much shared memory. Editor: Indeed. A wonderful encapsulation of how careful construction meets significant content. Curator: It makes one wonder where one's own road leads, doesn't it? Editor: A compelling image with an important history, considered in both its content and execution.