Actor Otani Tokuji AS A BUDDHIST PRIEST 

Editor: Here we see Katsukawa Shunko's woodblock print of "Actor Otani Tokuji as a Buddhist Priest." The crisp lines and flat planes of color are really striking. What can you tell us about this work? Curator: This print allows us to consider the labor involved, from the carving of the woodblocks to the application of pigments. Ukiyo-e prints were often collaborative, involving artists, carvers, printers, and publishers. Can you see any evidence of this layering? Editor: I see how the colors overlap slightly. So, it's not just about the final image, but also the process of its creation and the roles of the people involved. Thanks! Curator: Exactly. Thinking about the socio-economic context reveals the complex materiality of what may initially seem like a simple image.