Mitsuuji in the Maruyama Pleasure District of Nagasaki (Nagasaki dejima) 1861

This is Utagawa Kunisada's "Mitsuuji in the Maruyama Pleasure District of Nagasaki," made using woodblock printing. The process begins with a drawing, which is then transferred to a wood block, usually cherry. Specialist artisans carve the block, creating a relief. Separate blocks are needed for each color, meaning that for a complex print like this, the process can be laborious, involving an entire workshop of skilled hands. The material qualities are striking. Notice the bold lines, flat planes of color, and the way the wood grain subtly textures the image. The print celebrates a night out in Nagasaki's pleasure district, complete with a firework display in the harbor. We get a sense of the bustling port city that became a hub for international trade, from the mid-16th to the mid-19th century, especially through the Dutch. The production of these prints was highly commercial, and many impressions could be made from a single block. Thinking about this work as part of a larger system of labor and consumption helps us appreciate its significance, moving beyond a simple appreciation of its aesthetic qualities.