Actor Nakayama Raisuke II as Karahashi Sakujūrō 1792

This print, by Jokei, probably dates to the mid-19th century, and like all works of this kind, it was made through a division of labor. The artist would have designed the image, which was then carved into woodblocks by specialist artisans, and printed by yet another set of craftspeople. This division of labor can be seen as an early form of industrialization, allowing for the mass production of images. But unlike industrial processes, which tend to erase the hand, the woodblock print retains a sense of craftedness. You can see the marks of the carver’s tools in the crisp lines and subtle textures of the print. The layering of colors, too, would have required careful registration and a skilled hand. It’s important to recognize the value of those skills, often overlooked in traditional art history. This was not just a commercial product, but the result of a complex social process, involving the collaboration of artists, artisans, and publishers.