Acteurs als hoveling 1849 - 1853

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print of actors as courtiers, using paper and ink. Its material qualities include the flatness of the paper and the linear precision achieved through carving wooden blocks. Japanese Ukiyo-e prints like this were made through a division of labor. The artist designed the image, but specialist wood carvers transferred the design onto blocks, and printers then applied ink and paper. Each color required a separate block, demanding careful registration. This production method allowed for relatively inexpensive prints that were sold to a broad public. Consider the labor involved in Kunisada’s image. The carvers and printers, typically anonymous, played a crucial role. The prints themselves fueled the popular theater culture of the Edo period, capturing the likenesses and performances of famous actors. By understanding this artwork in terms of its making and social context, we can appreciate its full significance.