English officer and soldiers 1861

Utagawa Yoshikazu created this woodblock print of an English officer and soldiers sometime between 1845 and 1870. The flat planes of color and bold outlines were achieved through a meticulous process. Each color required a separate block, carefully carved and then printed onto the paper. The key block, with the outlines, would have been printed first, followed by the colors in succession. Look closely, and you can see how the registration of colors is not perfect, particularly in the red coats of the soldiers. This was a common characteristic of woodblock prints, a testament to the labor-intensive process. Woodblock printing was a highly developed craft in Japan, with specialized artisans for each stage of production. The publisher would commission the design, but the carvers and printers were essential collaborators. The wide distribution of these prints reflects a sophisticated system of production and consumption, demonstrating the commercialization of art in Japan at this time. This artwork reminds us that even seemingly simple images are often the product of complex social and economic relationships.