Pioenroos met krab c. 1831

Utagawa Kunisada made this print of a peony and crab using woodblock printing, a quintessential technique of the Edo period in Japan. The process began with a drawing, which was then transferred to a woodblock, typically cherry. Specialist carvers would then incise the design, and printers applied watercolor inks to the block, pressing it onto paper. For multi-color prints like this one, a separate block was needed for each color. The flat expanses of color here, the crisp outlines, the careful registration, all testify to the skill of the artisans involved. Woodblock prints like this one were not considered “high art” in their time; they were produced in multiples, almost like a form of proto-mass production, and widely available to the public. Yet, the technique involved demanded exceptional skill and coordination between designer, carver, and printer. This belies the stereotype of the lone artist, instead reminding us of the collaborative networks that underpin all forms of making.