The Actor Sanogawa Mangiku I as Sanada, the daughter of the spinner Itoya, with an attendant in the play "Hiragana Yomeiri Izu Nikki," performed at the Nakamura Theater in the eleventh month, 1718 1718

This print by Torii Kiyonobu I, made around 1718, is a woodblock print, a process involving carving an image into wood, inking it, and pressing paper against it. The flat expanses of color reveal much about this procedure. Color woodblock printing required a division of labor, one artist creating the composition, and then other artisans carving the blocks and doing the printing. The distinct lines and patterns in the actors' garments result from the woodblock printing process, and these blocky shapes lend the print its distinctive graphic quality. The role of Sanada, the daughter of the spinner Itoya, is rendered in striking detail, with the folds and patterns of her kimono conveying texture through the printing process. We can appreciate the skilled work that has gone into the making of this print, not just by Kiyonobu, but by the many anonymous hands who were involved in its manufacture. Thinking about the social context of this artwork – its making, materials, and processes – helps us expand our understanding of its cultural significance.