Portrait of Yokogawa Kanhei Munenori 1852

This portrait of Yokogawa Kanhei Munenori was created by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, using woodblock printing, a complex and laborious process. First, the image would have been drawn, then transferred to a block of wood, usually cherry. The artist carefully carved away the negative space. Because each color requires a separate block, a print like this would have involved numerous blocks, each demanding precision. The prints themselves reflect the social context of their making. Ukiyo-e prints like this one were popular and relatively affordable, existing in a different economic sphere to painting. This was a commercial art, produced for a broad audience rather than elite patrons. The portrait memorializes the forty-seven rōnin, masterless samurai who avenged their lord's death, highlighting the values of loyalty and sacrifice that resonated deeply in Japanese society. By focusing on the material and process of this print, we can appreciate its historical significance and its place within a wider world of art production.