A standing Court Lady c. 1828

This is Yashima Gakutei’s ‘A Standing Court Lady’, a woodblock print made in Japan. It gives us an opportunity to think about how the modes of production influenced art. The process begins with a drawing, followed by carving the image into a block of wood, inking it, and then pressing paper onto the block. Each color requires a separate block, so a print like this could involve a division of labor between the artist, carver, and printer. The linear qualities of the print and the subtle gradations of color are directly related to the artist's skills and the material qualities of wood. This print also demonstrates the ways in which popular culture and tradition could meet in the prints of the Ukiyo-e school, making it accessible for a wider audience. Paying close attention to materials, techniques, and social context allows us to understand the full meaning of the artwork, and challenges traditional hierarchies between fine art and craft.