Looking weighed-down - The appearance of a waitress at Fukagawa in the Tempo era 

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi created this woodblock print titled, "Looking weighed-down - The appearance of a waitress at Fukagawa in the Tempo era". Notice how the composition directs our gaze to the waitress's face, framed by her elaborate black hair and the weight of the table she carries. The artist uses a muted palette, dominated by blues and reds, yet it’s the texture achieved through the woodblock technique that adds depth. Consider the semiotic implications here; the weight she bears symbolizes not only a physical burden but perhaps a social one as well. This image destabilizes conventional notions of beauty and labor. Yoshitoshi challenges the viewer to reconsider the values assigned to service and appearance. The textures of the print are not merely decorative, they contribute to a deeper understanding of the subject's emotional and physical state. The materiality, therefore, functions as a key component in the broader discourse of labor and representation. This invites ongoing interpretation and reinterpretation of the waitress’s lived experience.