Futagawa 1906

This print, Futagawa, was made by Utagawa Hiroshige probably with wood blocks. I can imagine him, after months of solitary work, releasing it for others to see. I’m looking at a pale vista, a path receding, and some figures making their way up the hill: perhaps Hiroshige is sending us on a journey. His marks are so light and breezy. It feels like a fleeting moment. The trees are delicate, the sky is hazy, and even the figures seem to blend into the landscape. You can almost feel the breeze and the passage of time. Think of his process, how the mark-making is so specific and of the hand, yet the print also has a repetitive, almost mechanical feeling too, reminding us of the tensions between craft, labor, and mass production. How does this work sit within the broader canon of printmaking? What other artists explored similar themes or techniques? I feel like I'm in conversation with Hiroshige. I can't wait to try some of these ideas in the studio.