De grote overwinning van Japanse oorlogsschepen bij het eiland Haiyang Possibly 1894

Nakamura Shûkô made this print of the great victory of Japanese warships using woodblock printing, a technique known as ukiyo-e. Ukiyo-e involves carving a design into a block of wood, applying ink to the raised surface, and then pressing paper against the block to transfer the image. Each color requires a separate block, demanding careful registration. The distinct lines, flat areas of color, and graphic quality owe much to the nature of the materials. Woodblock printing was not just a means of artistic expression, it was also a complex industry, involving the labor of artists, carvers, printers, and publishers, reflecting the commercialization of art in Japanese society, and its relationship to political power and imperial expansion. In appreciating this print, we acknowledge the labor involved in its production, and the historical context that shaped its creation, challenging the traditional boundaries between art, craft, and commerce.