Three Women Travelling through a Ravine c. 1794 - 1796

This Japanese woodblock print, attributed to Eiri, shows three women travelling through a ravine. The process of woodblock printing is crucial to understanding this image. Multiple blocks would have been carved, one for each color, and then carefully aligned to build up the complete picture. Look closely, and you can see how the ink sits on the surface of the paper, rather than being absorbed into it. This gives a tactile quality, almost like a low relief. The flat planes of color, and the clear outlines, are also characteristic of this technique. Woodblock prints like this were relatively inexpensive, and were widely available to the public. This meant that artists like Eiri could reach a large audience with their work, and that people from all walks of life could afford to own art. The print is not just an image, it's a product of a complex social and economic system. Understanding the materials, the making process, and the social context is key to appreciating the full meaning of this artwork. It challenges our traditional ideas about what art is, and who it is for.