Hitomaro c. 1810 - 1839

This print of Hitomaro was made in Japan by Totoya Hokkei, who lived from 1790 to 1850. It’s a woodblock print, meaning that the image was carved in relief, inked, and then transferred to paper. Look closely, and you’ll notice a wonderful range of textures and tones. The artist used multiple blocks to achieve this effect, each one carrying a different color. And the inking itself would have been a painstaking process, requiring great control to get an even distribution of pigment. These prints were made for a mass market. Their affordability depended on a division of labor, with specialist craftsmen responsible for carving the blocks, applying ink, and pressing the paper. Hokkei likely designed the image and perhaps cut the key block, but would have relied on others to complete the edition. Thinking about this division of labor helps us appreciate the social context in which this beautiful print was made. It’s a reminder that even seemingly simple objects can be the product of complex social and economic forces.