Saiko Hajime 1780 - 1800

Kubo Shunman made this print, titled Saiko Hajime, in Japan sometime between the late 1700s and early 1800s. It’s a woodblock print, meaning that the image was carved into a block of wood, inked, and then printed onto paper. This was a commercial process, integral to the rise of a new urban consumer culture in Japan. Looking closely, you can see the texture of the paper and the subtle variations in color, which are all due to the way the ink was applied. Woodblock prints like this one were often produced in large numbers, yet each one retains a unique, handmade quality. The print shows a man and a woman engaged in a New Year’s ceremony. The setting is simple, yet carefully arranged, and the figures are rendered with a delicate touch. The act of carving the wood and printing the image was a skilled craft, requiring years of training. By paying attention to the materials and the making of this print, we can appreciate its beauty and understand its significance within the broader context of Japanese art and culture.