Basketry Work: By the Craftsman Ichida Shōshichirō of Naniwa (Kagozaiku Naniwa saikunin Ichida Shōshichirō) 1819

This print by Utagawa Kunisada depicts a scene of basketry work by the craftsman Ichida Shōshichirō of Naniwa. It was made using woodblock printing, a technique requiring careful carving of wood, inking, and pressing onto paper. The flat planes of color, clearly defined outlines, and the overall graphic quality of the print, are all a product of this meticulous process. While seemingly worlds apart, basketry and woodblock printing share a commonality: the skillful manipulation of materials through repetitive, labor-intensive processes. Basketry, like woodblock printing, requires patience, precision, and a deep understanding of the materials. By placing the craftsman at the center of this composition, Kunisada elevates the status of manual labor. The print challenges traditional hierarchies that separate art from craft, revealing the artistry inherent in everyday objects, and how social identity can be bound with material production.