Visual Arts and Design Practice Test

Read the embedded passage, then answer the question.

In Edo-period ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), beauty often appears alongside reminders that pleasure is brief. Prints of theaters, seasonal festivals, and fashionable streets invite admiration while hinting that trends will soon fade. This outlook connects to mujo (impermanence), which treats change as unavoidable and emotionally resonant. The viewer is encouraged to notice the present with heightened attention.

Utagawa Hiroshige became renowned for landscape series that highlight shifting weather and travel routes. Mist, rain, and twilight soften edges, suggesting that a scene cannot be held forever. His compositions often feel calm, yet they quietly insist that the moment is already moving onward. Through such choices, ukiyo-e links aesthetic delight to the passing of time.

Which artist is associated with ukiyo-e as discussed in the passage?

Read the passage, then answer the question.

In the Edo period, ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") prints captured entertainment districts, travel routes, and seasonal change. Their sense of beauty often came from mujo (impermanence), the awareness that pleasure and weather pass quickly. A sudden gust, a half-turned glance, or a brief snowfall could become the main subject. This approach encouraged viewers to notice ordinary moments before they disappeared.

Utagawa Hiroshige became especially known for travel landscapes, where bridges, roads, and rainstorms suggested ongoing movement. His restrained color and open space kept scenes readable and calm, even when nature felt unpredictable. The prints taught that the world is not fixed, and that attention itself can be a kind of devotion. By presenting the floating world as temporary, ukiyo-e made transience feel beautiful rather than tragic.

Which artist is associated with ukiyo-e as discussed in the passage?