Vogel op tak met gele bloem 1892

Matsumura Keibun made this print of a bird on a branch with a yellow flower, sometime before 1843. It’s a woodblock print, made with multiple blocks to achieve the various colors. The flat, subtly textured color is the main event here. It reflects the labor-intensive process of carving a series of blocks, inking them precisely, and then registering them perfectly on the page. The image is delicate, but don’t let that fool you. Woodblock prints like this one were made in multiples, intended for wide circulation and consumption. Consider the cultural status of prints like this one. It's easy to see it as simply a commercial product, one of many, cranked out in workshops. Yet, the artistry of Keibun and the skill of the carvers and printers is undeniable. This piece invites us to consider how the logic of mass production can, paradoxically, result in objects of great aesthetic sensitivity.