Arigayoi, from the series "Pictures of No Performances (Nogaku Zue)" 1898

This is "Arigayoi," a woodblock print from the series "Pictures of No Performances" by Tsukioka Kôgyo, made in Japan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Take a look at the print's surface. The flat planes of color and crisp outlines are characteristic of woodblock printing, a process that demands incredible precision and coordination. Each color requires a separate block, carefully carved and then registered to create the final image. In this series, Kôgyo documented the costumes and staging of Noh theatre, a highly stylized form of Japanese performance. The production of these prints involved a complex division of labor, from the artist who made the original design to the carvers and printers who translated it into a multiple. In Kôgyo's time, woodblock prints were a popular art form, produced on an almost industrial scale. By paying attention to the materials and making of these prints, we can better understand their place in the wider culture.