The First Warbler 1835 - 1856

Utagawa Kuniyoshi created this Japanese woodblock print, titled "The First Warbler," using ink and color on paper. As a medium, woodblock printing involves a complex choreography of carving, inking, and precise registration of colors. The flat planes of color and bold outlines are characteristic of Ukiyo-e prints, or "pictures of the floating world." These prints were not considered "high art" but rather a popular, commercial art form that flourished during the Edo period. This print is a great example of that, as the production process itself was a collaborative endeavor, involving the artist, block carver, printer, and publisher, each contributing their expertise to create multiples for a growing urban consumer culture. The lines of color and calligraphy in the piece reflect the labor involved in its making. The artist's engagement with the craft tradition of woodblock printing, alongside the social and economic context in which it was produced, informs our understanding of the work's significance and challenges conventional art historical hierarchies.