Muneyuki schiet een tijger neer c. 1829

This print, "Muneyuki schiet een tijger neer," was made by Yashima Gakutei, likely in the early 19th century. It's a woodblock print, meaning that the design was carved into a block of wood, inked, and then pressed onto paper. The process is crucial to understanding the image. The artist had to be both skilled and patient, as the act of carving would have been labor-intensive. The lines are crisp and clean, but you can also see the texture of the wood grain in places, evidence of the hand that made it. The print isn't just a record of an image; it embodies the labor, skill, and tradition of woodblock printing. It’s a reminder that art is not just about ideas but also about the physical act of making, which carries its own social and cultural weight.