A Standing Man with a Book in His Hand c. 1825 - 1830

Editor: This woodblock print, "A Standing Man with a Book in His Hand," made by Utagawa Kunisada around 1825-1830, intrigues me with its subject's intense gaze. I am especially interested in understanding this choice of materials and craftsmanship and what those factors may suggest regarding the broader societal views on artwork at the time of its making. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the context of ukiyo-e. These weren't exactly considered "high art" originally, but were products created through a complex division of labor. Think about the roles of the artist, the block carver, the printer, and the publisher—each contributing a specialized skill to create a mass-produced image. Who do you think consumed these images and where were they sold? Editor: Based on the information available to me, it is my understanding that those were middle-class residents of Japan who had access to that form of media, although there may be further unexplored aspects concerning the distribution methods in the country at the time. Would that be an accurate consideration, based on your view as a materialist? Curator: Exactly! And think about the materials themselves – woodblocks, paper, pigments. These weren’t expensive, rare materials, which made the prints accessible. How does the very *making* of this image democratize art? The figure, his fashion, the stories connected with Ukiyo-e and popular theater - how is this reflected and affecting art consumption among the urban dwellers? Editor: So, in a way, the "low" status materials allowed for a wider audience and subject matter. It democratizes art, allowing more people to create art based on more materials from everyday society and life as a whole. Curator: Precisely. By focusing on the materiality and means of production, we can begin to deconstruct these historical art categories. Editor: Thanks to this analysis, I feel better at applying this theoretical consideration of materialism within other similar settings.