Travellers Crossing a Bridge 1824

Totoya Hokkei made this print, "Travellers Crossing a Bridge," in Japan, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. It’s made of wood. Although it looks like a painting, this is actually a print, meaning that Hokkei would have spent a great deal of time carving the image into a block, and then inking and pressing it onto paper, probably with the help of assistants. Look closely, and you can see how the qualities of the wood have influenced the image. The lines are sharp, with definite edges, and the colours are flat and subtly textured by the grain of the wood. The bridge, which appears to be made of wood itself, echoes the material that gives us this very image. Hokkei’s skill as a draughtsman is evident, but it is also clear that he understood the material logic of his chosen medium, and embraced it. This lovely print reminds us that all artworks are made of something, and by someone. Appreciating the labour and materials involved can bring us closer to the artist’s intentions, and to the society in which they lived.