Actor Nakamura Sukegorō as a Samurai c. 18th century

Curator: This print by Ippitsusai Bunchō depicts Actor Nakamura Sukegorō as a samurai. The lines and colors are bold. What strikes you most about this piece? Editor: I find the portrayal of the actor striking. How might the materials used, like the woodblock printing process, inform our understanding of its production and reception in 18th-century Japan? Curator: The very process speaks to a collaborative labor, from the artist's design to the carver's skill and the printer's touch. The woodblock printing situates it within a culture of mass production and consumption of images. Editor: That's fascinating! I hadn't considered the collaborative aspect so directly. Curator: Understanding the materiality offers insight into the artwork's purpose and the cultural context of its creation. Editor: I see it now; thanks to your insights, I understand the image much better!