Print 1800 - 1865

This print was made by Utagawa Kunisada, and it exemplifies the techniques of Japanese woodblock printing. Consider the ways in which the wood influences the print’s appearance. The image starts as a drawing, and is then carefully transferred to a block of wood. Each color requires its own block. Craftspeople carve away the negative space, leaving raised areas that will receive ink. These blocks are then meticulously aligned and printed onto paper. Look at the image closely: you can almost feel the grain of the wood, or see the subtle variations in ink density. This print is not merely a reproduction, but an embodiment of the labor involved in its making. Woodblock prints like these were part of a thriving commercial industry, connecting artists, artisans, and consumers in a complex web of production and consumption. Thinking about materials, making, and context helps us move beyond traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, and to understand the full meaning of this image.