Illustrated Book -Souvenir of Edo- vol. 5 1850 - 1853

This is a page from “Souvenir of Edo, vol. 5,” a woodblock printed book made by Utagawa Hiroshige in 19th-century Japan. The book is made with multiple blocks – one for each color – painstakingly carved and then carefully aligned to create the final image. Look closely and you’ll see how each impression influences the image. There's the texture of the paper, and the lines of each individual impression, and how the subtle shifts and overlaps create a sense of depth. Beyond that, it’s the social context that really brings this print to life. Woodblock printing in Edo-period Japan wasn’t just about art, it was a highly organized industry with publishers, block carvers, printers, and artists all playing their part in a complex division of labor. This brings wider issues of labor, politics, and consumption, and the amount of work involved in the production process to light. Considering these elements – material, making, and context – allows us to fully appreciate Hiroshige’s artistic vision and the wider world in which this book was made.