HERON IN WILLOW TREE 

Editor: This is Kitagawa Tsukimaro’s "Heron in Willow Tree." It's a woodblock print from around the early 19th century and I'm struck by the texture and how it's made, especially considering the time it was made. What does it tell you? Curator: Consider the process. Woodblock printing was a craft, tied to labor. The artist, block carver, and printer all contributed to the final piece. The heron, almost like a product, becomes a symbol of the consumption and the artistic process. Editor: So, you see the material production as key to understanding the art itself? Curator: Absolutely! It challenges the idea of the artist as a singular genius. It really is a collaborative, material endeavor. It helps reveal the interconnected web of craft and art. Editor: That's a fascinating point. I hadn't considered the collaborative effort and how that informs the meaning. Thanks for sharing that perspective.