FAMOUS VIEWS OF YEDO, "KINRIUSAN NO DZU" c. 19th century

Editor: Here we see Utagawa Hiroshige’s "Kinriuzan no zu" from his "Famous Views of Yedo" series. It’s just so lively! What stands out to you? Curator: Consider the woodblock prints themselves. The labor, the cutting, the registration of colors. Each impression is a testament to the artisan's skill. And what about the social context, these bustling scenes were made for mass consumption. Editor: So, it's about more than just the pretty image? Curator: Exactly! It's about the whole system of production, distribution, and consumption of art in Edo period Japan. Think about the workshops that employed dozens of artisans. These prints were affordable commodities. Editor: That's a completely different way of looking at it, I hadn't considered that. Curator: Seeing art this way changes how we value it, it makes you think.