Kabuki Actor 1802 - 1835

This print of a Kabuki actor was made by Utagawa Toyoshige in Japan, sometime in the first third of the 19th century. It's a woodblock print, which is important. The process begins with a drawing, then a highly skilled artisan transferred the image to a block, usually cherry wood. They would carve away the negative space. Then, printers would apply ink to the remaining raised surface, pressing paper against the block to create the image. Think of it: for each color in the print, a separate block had to be carved. The registration had to be perfect, to ensure crispness and clarity of the final image. The labor was intensive and required a division of labor. The publisher sat at the apex of a pyramid of artisans. Woodblock prints like this one were not considered high art; they were popular images, consumed widely by a public with a thirst for images of their cultural heroes. Yet the amount of work and skill involved in their production is undeniable. By considering the Kabuki Actor in this light, we can appreciate the expanded field of aesthetics, beyond the traditional distinction between fine art and craft.