The Third Sawamura Sojuro in the Role of Shirai Gonpachi 1788

Editor: This is "The Third Sawamura Sojuro in the Role of Shirai Gonpachi," a woodblock print from 1788 by Katsukawa Shunko, currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It depicts a Kabuki actor, and I’m struck by the way the patterns in the costume contrast with the relative flatness of the background. What draws your eye when you look at it? Curator: I immediately think of the labor involved in creating ukiyo-e prints. The materials themselves – the woodblocks, the paper, the pigments – each had its own specific history and value. Notice how the quality of the paper and the precision of the carving are critical to the final product, particularly in rendering those intricate textile patterns you mentioned. How might the social status of the artisans involved influenced their level of skill or care invested in this piece? Editor: That's fascinating, I hadn't considered that. Do you mean like, if they were well-compensated, maybe the print quality would be higher? Curator: Precisely. Furthermore, the accessibility of this type of art is important. Who was consuming these prints? Were they primarily for the wealthy elite, or did they have a broader appeal? The subject, a popular actor, hints at a connection to a wider audience and commercial appeal. Is this a commodity made for and purchased by a specific population in Edo society? Editor: I guess so. That makes you wonder how "high art" was even defined back then if prints were this common. Curator: It forces us to challenge the conventional art historical hierarchies, right? How do we re-evaluate "art" when we focus on the means of production, the materiality, and the networks of consumption? The print allows for mass production. Editor: So by looking at the materials and the work that went into it, we get a totally different understanding of art's value at the time. Thanks for showing me that! Curator: My pleasure. Analyzing the labor and materiality unveils layers often overlooked.