(Morning glow on the New Year's day) Possibly 1859

Gessen created this print, (Morning glow on the New Year's day), in 18th-century Japan using woodblock printing. The print combines calligraphy with an image of pine trees in the lower right. Pine trees, especially when combined with the rising sun, are associated with New Year’s celebrations and the hope for longevity. This print would have been produced within the commercial publishing industry of Edo-period Japan. During this time, the Tokugawa Shogunate imposed strict class hierarchies and isolationist policies. Despite these constraints, arts and culture flourished, especially in urban centers. The development of woodblock printing allowed for the mass production of art, making it accessible to a broader audience beyond the elite. Historians look at the way art objects circulate through society. So, further research into the publisher that made the print might tell us more about the context in which the image was made and consumed. It shows how culture and commerce are interconnected.