Actor Iwai Kumesaburō 2nd on the Bank of the Sumida River, from an untitled series of actors on the theme of Snow, Moon and Flowers c. 1825

Editor: This is Utagawa Kunisada's woodblock print of "Actor Iwai Kumesaburō 2nd on the Bank of the Sumida River". The intricate patterns on the actor's robe are what strike me most. What can you tell me about the making of this print? Curator: Well, consider the woodblock process. Each color, each line, meticulously carved and printed. Think about the labor involved, the skill required to translate the artist's vision into a tangible, reproducible image. The materials themselves, the paper, the inks, all speak to a specific cultural and economic context. Editor: So, it's less about the actor and more about the process behind it? Curator: Not entirely, but understanding the means of production offers a critical lens through which to view not only the image, but the broader social and economic landscape of the time. Editor: That gives me a lot to consider! Curator: Indeed. Materiality shapes meaning.