The actor Seki Sanjuro II as Sasaki Saemon in the play "Higashiyama-dono Kabuki no Danmaku," performed at the Nakamura Theater in the third month, 1818 1818

This print, made in 1818 by Utagawa Toyokuni I, depicts the actor Seki Sanjuro II. It's a woodblock print, meaning the image was carved into a block of wood, inked, and then pressed onto paper. The striking lines and colors weren't achieved with paint, but with carefully carved wood and multiple applications of ink. The texture of the paper itself is part of the artwork. Think about the labor involved: carving the block, mixing the inks, and precisely aligning each color layer. The flat, bold colors and stylized forms are typical of ukiyo-e prints, a popular art form in Japan. These prints were often made for mass consumption, reflecting the rise of a merchant class with money to spend on art. They weren't considered "high art" in their time, but were more like posters or magazines, connecting people to the world of theater and celebrity. By appreciating the materials and processes of this print, we can better understand its original social context and challenge our assumptions about what counts as art.