Scroll Painting of Horse 19th century

This print of a horse was made by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai in Japan, sometime in the early 19th century. Like many Japanese prints, it was made using multiple woodblocks, each one carved to apply a different color to the paper. Look closely, and you’ll see just how much work has gone into this small image. The lines are crisp and clean, the colors are vibrant, and the composition is carefully balanced. Even the texture of the paper contributes to the overall effect, providing a subtle background for the image. This wasn’t just a matter of craft skill, although there’s plenty of that on display. It reflects a whole system of production, with teams of designers, carvers, printers, and publishers, all working together to create these beautiful objects. These prints were relatively inexpensive, and widely circulated. Appreciating the labor and social context embedded in such works challenges the traditional idea of fine art as something rare and precious.