The Actor Nakayama Tomisaburo as a Woman at a Picnic under Autumn Maple Trees 1782 - 1802

Editor: Here we have Katsukawa Shun'ei's woodblock print, "The Actor Nakayama Tomisaburo as a Woman at a Picnic under Autumn Maple Trees," dating from around 1792. I’m struck by the materiality of the print itself—you can almost feel the texture of the wood and paper. What strikes you most about this work? Curator: I am immediately drawn to the process involved in its creation. Consider the labor of carving those intricate lines into woodblocks, the mixing of pigments, and the registration of colors—all done meticulously by hand. The subject matter, a male actor portraying a woman, adds another layer to the social context, blurring the lines of gender and performance within the floating world of ukiyo-e. How do the patterns and colors speak to the commercial and social realities of Edo-period Japan? Editor: The patterns on the kimono are really intricate. Did different patterns or materials signal different levels of wealth or status? Curator: Precisely! The choice of specific dyes, the quality of the paper, even the quantity of prints made, reflect the artist’s and the publisher's market considerations, appealing to a specific urban clientele who consumed these images. Furthermore, examining the types of wood used for the blocks, where it was sourced, and the specific skills required for carving reveals insights into the networks of artisans and economic systems supporting ukiyo-e production. What could that rope barrier be? Editor: Possibly a way to suggest wealth, showing someone experiencing an exclusive moment? Thank you for explaining that production element and societal component; I learned a lot today. Curator: The intersection of artistic creation, material consumption, and social display embedded within this single print gives us a more granular perspective on history, and it makes me consider what we take for granted in our own material world.