Taira no Tadanori onder een kersenboom 1884 - 1885

Kobayashi Kiyochika made this print, Taira no Tadanori under a cherry tree, in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, using woodblocks. This isn't just a picture; it's a product of careful labor. Look closely and you'll notice the texture, the way the ink sits on the paper. Each color was printed from a separate block, carved by hand. It's a time-consuming process requiring precision and skill. The lines create shapes and forms, from the delicate cherry blossoms to the detailed armor of the samurai, Taira no Tadanori. Woodblock printing has a long history in Japan and was a major form of artistic expression. It was also a commercial enterprise. Prints like these were relatively inexpensive and widely available, bringing art to a broad audience. They were a form of mass production, but one that still relied on the expertise of individual artisans. It speaks volumes about the relationship between creativity, commerce, and culture, and asks us to rethink boundaries between craft and fine art.