Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Kujaku Saburō 1794

Editor: This is a woodblock print from 1794, "Sawamura Sōjūrō III as Kujaku Saburō" by Tōshūsai Sharaku. The figure, a kabuki actor, is what grabs my attention right away; there's something captivating about the directness of his gaze. What aspects of this artwork stand out to you? Curator: Well, focusing on the materiality, the woodblock print itself is fascinating. Ukiyo-e weren't considered high art then, they were mass-produced commodities for the urban population. The artist, Sharaku, emerged and disappeared quickly, which also makes me think about labor: how were these prints distributed? Editor: That's interesting! I hadn’t considered the commercial aspect. The crisp lines make it seem carefully made. Curator: Yes, each color would have required a separate block and skilled printers who understood how to lay the ink to produce precise forms, thus generating both commodity and demand, and influencing fashion in Japan, like hair styles or kimonos, which is crucial when thinking about Kabuki! This is how mass consumption was fueled back then. What’s your reading of this particular production? Editor: The details in the clothing stand out; I can see how the striped kimono pattern must have taken considerable skill, requiring specialized wood cutting. It brings attention to that individual piece of garment and that time frame. It’s amazing to think that something so refined was available so widely! Curator: Absolutely. It changes our understanding of artistry during this era, challenging those high/low art boundaries through its accessibility. Editor: It’s helpful to consider it not just as a portrait, but as an artifact of a specific cultural moment. Curator: Indeed. Understanding how art is made, circulated, and consumed provides crucial context.