Red Maple - Hana Kurabe 1878

Shibata Zeshin made this woodblock print, titled "Red Maple - Hana Kurabe," sometime in the 19th century. The print is deceptively simple. Look closely, and you’ll see the sensitivity of the line work. It is a testament to the artist’s skill in both design and carving. The colors are also critical, rendered in layered inks. This wasn't just a matter of applying pigments. It required an intimate understanding of how different hues interact on paper, and how they would be perceived in relation to each other. Woodblock printing demanded a high degree of craft mastery and division of labor. Artists, carvers, and printers all had to work together to create the final image. Consider the labor involved in the production of the paper itself, and the dyes used for the print. Thinking about works like this, we can begin to blur the lines between fine art and craft.