Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Entrance to a Palace 1876

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi created this woodblock print, depicting Tokugawa Ieyasu at the entrance to a palace, in 1878. Woodblock printing, or *ukiyo-e*, is an inherently collaborative process. Artists like Yoshitoshi were typically not involved in the physical act of printing itself, but rather worked alongside specialized artisans, including wood carvers and printers, to realize their designs. The process begins with the artist creating a detailed drawing, which is then meticulously transferred onto a block of wood, usually cherry. The carver uses a variety of specialized tools to carve away the areas that will not be printed, leaving the design in relief. Next, the printer applies ink to the block and carefully presses paper onto its surface, transferring the image. Each color requires a separate block, demanding precise registration to achieve the final, layered effect. Given the number of skilled people involved in the process, *ukiyo-e* prints were relatively inexpensive and available to the public. The beauty and cultural significance of this print lies not only in the artwork itself, but also in the ways in which it intersects with Japanese society and the economics of the time.