Triptych: Battle Crossing of the Sumidagawa (Sumidagawa ikada watashi no zu) c. late 19th century

Curator: What a dynamic scene! The composition, with its chaotic energy, just pulls you in. Editor: Indeed. This is Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s Triptych: Battle Crossing of the Sumidagawa, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Look closely and consider the process of woodblock printing required to achieve this level of detail. Curator: The print depicts a historical battle, probably meant to be an inspiring or patriotic scene. It reflects the turbulent political climate of the late Edo period. Editor: Notice how the artist uses color and line to convey the tension of battle. The floating rafts are such rudimentary structures, juxtaposed with the elaborate armor of the warriors. Curator: The narrative is compelling, but I wonder what it meant to its original audience. How did this depiction of warfare shape public perception? Editor: And how did the economics of printmaking, the wood and labor, make such imagery accessible? It’s quite a feat of production. Curator: Thinking about it, Kuniyoshi’s work allows us to consider how conflicts are memorialized and disseminated. Editor: A testament to the power of the artistic process and its reach.