39. Distant View of Kinryūzan Temple and the Azuma Bridge 1857

Utagawa Hiroshige created this woodblock print, “Distant View of Kinryūzan Temple and the Azuma Bridge,” using a technique deeply rooted in Japanese craft traditions. The process begins with a drawing, meticulously transferred onto thin sheets of cherry wood. Highly skilled artisans then carve the wood, following the lines to create a series of blocks – one for each color. Water-based inks are applied, and the image is carefully pressed onto paper. The softness of the wood allows for incredibly fine lines and subtle gradations of color, which you can see in the sky. The technique itself speaks to the social context of the time. Ukiyo-e prints like this one were affordable, owing to the division of labor, and circulated widely, making art accessible to a broad audience, not just the elite. So, when you look at this print, remember that you’re seeing not just an image, but also the product of a complex, collaborative, and deeply skilled making process. It’s a reminder that art is always connected to the world of labor, production, and consumption.