Goyu 1906

This print, Goyu, was made by Utagawa Hiroshige, and it’s a woodblock print. Look at how Hiroshige uses color to set a mood – that soft, dusky sky. It's like a watercolor, but with this incredible precision. The texture of the paper gives a tactile feel, almost like you could reach out and touch the scene. Notice that the figures are just lightly sketched in, with thin, even lines that almost seem to float on the surface. Then there’s that pop of color in the woman’s kimono. It’s like a small fire in the cool evening, isn't it? In a way, this reminds me of some of the landscapes by the American painter, James McNeill Whistler. Both artists are interested in capturing a fleeting moment, a mood more than a place. They teach us to slow down, to really look, and to find beauty in the everyday.