Print 1800 - 1865

This print was made by Utagawa Kunisada in Japan. It’s a woodblock print, a demanding medium requiring careful carving of a separate block for each color, then printing each in precise register. The flat expanses of color show the inherent qualities of the medium: its capacity for graphic boldness but also subtle gradations. Notice the exquisite details, like the intricate patterns on the woman’s kimono and the delicate rendering of the waves. Woodblock printing was not considered “high art” in its own time, but rather a commercial practice. Prints were produced in multiples and consumed by a wide audience. The division of labor, from the artist’s design to the carver’s skill to the printer’s execution, speaks to a collective enterprise rather than a singular genius. The print's beauty lies not only in its aesthetic qualities but also in the rich history of materials, making, and social context that have been integral to its creation.