A Water Kettle on a Brazier c. 1800 - 1805

This print by Shotei Hokuju shows a water kettle on a brazier, made sometime between 1790 and 1820, using woodblock printing. The image captures a sense of the everyday, but also speaks to deeper cultural values. During the Edo period, the rise of the merchant class transformed Japanese society, and with it the nature of art production. Ukiyo-e prints became extremely popular, depicting scenes of daily life, landscapes, and popular entertainment. The prints served as a form of mass media, reflecting and shaping cultural tastes. Hokuju’s print, with its focus on the tools and rituals surrounding tea, hints at the meditative aspects of this period, and a slow pace of life. By examining prints like these, we can recover the social and cultural histories that shape artistic production. Researching the Edo period, the rise of the merchant class, and the development of Ukiyo-e prints might help us better understand how art both reflects and shapes the world around it.