Courtesans in an Iris Garden 1767 - 1799

"Courtesans in an Iris Garden" was made in the late 1700s by Katsukawa Shunchō using woodblock printing. This printmaking technique, known as Ukiyo-e, involves carving a design into a wooden block, inking it, and then pressing paper onto the block to transfer the image. The beauty of this print lies in the labor-intensive process required to make it. The image’s delicate lines and subtle gradations of color required great skill and precision, with each color necessitating a separate block. The material qualities of the wood itself, its grain and texture, add depth and richness to the final print. Woodblock printing was also a commercial enterprise, involving artists, block cutters, printers, and publishers. These prints catered to the tastes of the urban middle class, offering glimpses into the pleasure quarters and fashionable life of Edo-period Japan. Shunchō's print, therefore, represents a fusion of artistic skill, technical expertise, and popular culture, blurring the lines between art and craft.