Ducks and Withered Lotus 1897

Kobayashi Kiyochika made this print of ducks and withered lotus using woodblock printing, a process that has a rich history in Japanese art. Look closely, and you’ll see that this isn't just a flat image. The texture of the wood grain subtly influences the appearance, adding depth to the water and the ducks' feathers. Woodblock printing, or *mokuhanga*, involves carving a design into a block of wood, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper. Color prints like this one require a separate block for each color, making the process labor-intensive. Kiyochika was working at a time when Japan was rapidly modernizing. Woodblock printing had been a traditional craft for centuries, but it was now competing with new technologies like photography. By depicting everyday scenes, Kiyochika brought this traditional technique into the modern era. The very act of creating these prints, with their reliance on skilled handcraft, speaks to the value of labor and tradition in a changing world.