The Actors Azuma Tozo III and Otani Tokuji, from a pentaptych of eleven actors celebrating the festival of the shrine of the Soga brothers 1788

Torii Kiyonaga created this woodblock print of actors Azuma Tozo III and Otani Tokuji sometime in the late 18th century. Woodblock printing demanded remarkable precision, using a separate block for each color. Note the sharp, distinct lines that define the actors' robes and facial features. These were achieved by carving away the wood around the intended lines, leaving a raised surface to receive ink. The flat, uniform color fields also show the mastery of the technique. These would be carefully applied to the block, and then transferred to paper through direct pressure. The process was labor-intensive, requiring skilled artisans to carve the blocks, mix the inks, and align each color layer accurately. Yet, the resulting prints could be produced in multiples, making them accessible to a broader public. This is a testament to the efficiencies of early industrialized print production. This print blurs the boundaries between craft and art, reminding us that aesthetic beauty can emerge from repetitive, technically demanding processes. By valuing these processes, we gain a richer understanding of the artwork's cultural significance.