Woman Catching a Packet, from the series Stories from the Han and Chu in Two Parts (Kanso ni ban no uchi) 

This print, *Woman Catching a Packet*, was made by Utagawa Kunisada in Japan using woodblock printing, a technique known as *ukiyo-e*. The image shows a woman on a boat, reaching up to receive a packet, perhaps containing a letter or some other important communication. The process begins with a drawing, which is then transferred to a woodblock, usually cherry. A carver meticulously cuts away the areas that will not be printed, leaving the design in relief. Different blocks are used for each color, requiring precise alignment. The blocks are then inked and pressed onto paper, one color at a time, building up the final image. The flat, graphic style and clear, bright colors are typical of ukiyo-e prints, which were produced on a commercial scale, meeting a demand for accessible, popular imagery. These prints challenge the divide between art and craft, being both carefully designed and skillfully made, yet also existing within a system of production and consumption. The work celebrates the artistry inherent in everyday life.