Schoonheden bij een hanengevecht c. 1845 - 1846

Editor: Here we have "Beauties at a Cockfight," a woodblock print made around 1845-1846 by Utagawa Kunisada, now at the Rijksmuseum. It feels very poised and ornamental, even with the cockfight alluded to in the title. What’s your take? Curator: I see this print primarily as a record of production and consumption. Utagawa Kunisada headed a major workshop; consider the division of labor needed to produce prints like this. From the initial drawing to carving the woodblocks, and finally the printing itself, various artisans played a crucial role. Editor: So you see the print as evidence of manufacture? Curator: Precisely. The lines, colors, and patterns weren't spontaneously generated, but carefully planned and executed through specialized craft knowledge. Look at the woman’s kimono – the elaborate design suggests complex dyeing and weaving techniques. Each step depended on a system of knowledge and available resources. Do you think this image served solely an aesthetic purpose? Editor: I suppose not. Maybe it was also intended to represent certain societal values... Curator: Exactly. This print reflects the consumption patterns and material culture of the time. The depicted luxury—the beautiful garments, the very leisure to attend a cockfight—reveals a particular segment of society and the kind of material desires they possessed. Even the paper, ink, and pigments had to be acquired through complex trade networks. The raw materials, the artistry, the markets – all are visible here. Editor: I’m starting to see it differently now - it's a lot more than just a pretty picture! Thank you for walking me through the various manufacturing elements. Curator: It reveals how seemingly simple objects like prints are connected to the wider economic and social structures of their time. It makes one contemplate the lives and labor woven into this object.