Prologue and Table of Contents, from the Series, from the Series ‘Long Live Japan! One Hundred Selections, One Hundred Laughs’ 1895

Kobayashi Kiyochika created this woodblock print, Prologue and Table of Contents, as part of a series called ‘Long Live Japan! One Hundred Selections, One Hundred Laughs’. The image shows a scene of boisterous laughter alongside two sheets of text, likely the preface and contents of the larger series. The production of woodblock prints like this one was a highly skilled, multi-stage process. First, the artist would create a detailed drawing. Then, specialist wood carvers would painstakingly transfer the image onto blocks, often using a different block for each color. Finally, printers would apply ink to the blocks and press them onto paper, layering colors to create the final image. This division of labor speaks to the industrialization of art during this period, a system that allowed for mass production and distribution of images. The laughter depicted might be seen as a commodity itself, a form of entertainment packaged and sold to the masses. Yet, the enduring appeal of these prints lies in the skill and artistry involved in their making, reminding us of the human touch behind even the most commercial of art forms.