New Year's Pilgrimage to Myohoji Temple in Horinouchi (Horinouchi Myohoji eho mairi no zu) c. 1804 - 1810

Utagawa Toyokuni I made this woodblock print, titled "New Year's Pilgrimage to Myohoji Temple in Horinouchi", around the early 19th century. The process of making a woodblock print like this was highly collaborative. Toyokuni would have created the initial design, but then specialist artisans would carve the block, apply ink, and print the image onto paper. The grain of the wood itself influences the final aesthetic. The character of the lines and textures are all determined by the wood. Color was also added using multiple blocks, each carved for a specific hue. This division of labor speaks to the commercial context in which these prints were made, intended for popular consumption. The print captures a social scene, depicting people of various classes visiting a temple, suggesting the accessibility of both religious practice and the art form itself. Understanding the materials and processes used in making this print gives us insight into the broader social and cultural context of its creation.