Vuur c. 1820

Totoya Hokkei made this print, Vuur, in Japan in the early 19th century, using woodblock printing. The image is of a hibachi, or fire box, and a feather used to clean it. Woodblock printing is an ingenious process of layering colour. Each tone requires a separate block, carefully carved and registered. It's worth remembering that this was a commercial medium, used to produce images quickly and in multiples. Hokkei was associated with the *Surimono* style, a particularly luxurious type of printmaking that was commissioned privately. Here, the layered blocks create a range of tonalities and textures, from the soft, muted tones of the hibachi to the crisp black lines of the feather. The contrast between these textures emphasizes the contrast between the objects themselves, one of luxury and the other of labor, offering a glimpse into the domestic life of the period. This print reminds us that even seemingly simple images are the result of complex processes and cultural meanings. It challenges us to look beyond the surface and consider the social context in which art is made.