Ploegende boeren in Japanse rijstvelden 1862

This print, titled ‘Ploegende boeren in Japanse rijstvelden’ depicts farmers plowing rice fields in Japan. Though the artist is anonymous, the print’s method of production speaks volumes. The material is paper, relatively cheap and easily available. The image is realized through printmaking, a process allowing for the mass production of images. This connects to the wider social issues of labor, politics, and consumption; prints like these could disseminate information and perspectives across broad audiences. The image captures a scene of intense manual labor. Farmers and oxen work in tandem, their movements methodical and exhausting. The print's lines, tones, and colors combine to create a vivid depiction of the agricultural process. The artist may be unknown, but the image resonates with the lives and labor of countless individuals. Considering the print’s materials, techniques, and subject matter encourages us to reconsider distinctions between art and craft, highlighting their shared capacity to represent and reflect lived experiences.