Busteportret van Kataoka Nizaemon VII. 1796 - 1798

This striking print, "Bust Portrait of Kataoka Nizaemon VII," was created by Utagawa Toyokuni I. It’s a woodblock print, a medium central to the visual culture of its time. This wasn’t just art for the elite; woodblock prints were relatively affordable, making them accessible to a wider public. The process begins with a drawing, which is then meticulously carved into a block of wood. Ink is applied, and the image is transferred to paper. Each color requires a separate block, demanding precision and skill. Consider the labor involved, and the way this production mirrors other forms of manufacturing at the time. Woodblock prints like this one weren’t just individual artworks; they were part of a larger system of production and consumption. The artist was a key part of a whole system of production, from woodworkers to printers to publishers. Thinking about this print as a product of its time helps us appreciate its social and cultural significance, and challenges traditional notions of art as something separate from the everyday.