"Travelers Surprised by Sudden Rain’ , woodblock print, by Utagawa Hiroshige

‘Travelers Surprised by Sudden Rain’, a color woodblock print, by Utagawa Hiroshige. The print is composed in a horizontal composition, with the landscape slanted indicating an incline or a hill. A small group of travelers get caught off-guard by a swift gust of heavy rain. Agitated, the group of people use whatever they can to protect themselves from the heavy rain, from straw hats to clothing. The heavy gushes of rain are indicated with a translucent press of gray ink over the whole print, with each section of rain thicker in the beginning. Trees are blocked into the background, with faded colors towards the base of each tree, creating a misty background and a sense of depth. In the bottom right, the tops of huts are displayed in the middle ground.

This scene captured by Hiroshige shows the frantic reaction of an unsuspecting rain. From early June to mid-July the weather of Japan is consumed by heavy and humid rains. These rains often have an erratic nature and are unpredictable. As in the image by Hiroshige, the mood of the image is unpleasant as everyone tries to escape from the rain.  

-Aaliyah Garinga