Woman Wearing Black Hood in Front of the Hatsutaka Teahouse c. 1783

This print of a woman in front of the Hatsutaka Teahouse was made by Torii Kiyonaga, who lived from 1752 to 1815. It’s made using a woodblock printmaking technique known as Ukiyo-e. The process begins with a drawing, which is then transferred to a woodblock, and painstakingly carved to create a relief. Different blocks are used for each color, and then printed in layers to build up the final image. The production of Ukiyo-e prints was very much a business, involving the coordinated labor of designers, block cutters, printers, and publishers. The division of labor allowed for the relatively quick and efficient production of prints, which were then sold to a wide audience. The process is so central to the work itself. The flat, graphic style and bold use of color, are all a direct result of the materials and the production process. By focusing on the process of production, we can appreciate the ways in which this print is both an aesthetic object, and a product of its time.