Leaf from a Book Entitled: Wakoku Hiaku-jo: One Hundred Japanese Women 1625 - 1694

This page from "One Hundred Japanese Women" was made by Hishikawa Moronobu in the late 17th century, using woodblock printing. Consider the relationship between the visual effect and the labor involved. First, the design was drawn, then painstakingly carved into a block of wood, and finally printed onto paper. The black lines you see weren't drawn with ink, but carefully incised. Think about the hand-eye coordination that was required, and the tremendous skill needed to transfer the design accurately. The process is inextricably linked to the image itself. The crisp lines give the figures definition, while the flat planes create a sense of depth. The woodblock technique emphasizes the patterned robes, turning them into graphic elements within the composition. Paying attention to materials and making helps us understand this print not just as an image, but as the product of a specific set of techniques, traditions, and social conditions. It bridges the categories of fine art, craft, and design.