Yasuhide, from the series "Six Immortal Poets (Rokkasen)" by Chōbunsai Eishi 鳥文斎栄之

Yasuhide, from the series "Six Immortal Poets (Rokkasen)"

c. 1789 - 1790

0:00
0:00

Artwork details

Medium
print, woodblock-print
Dimensions
38.1 × 25.4 cm (15 × 10 in.)
Location
The Art Institute of Chicago
Copyright
Public Domain

Tags

#portrait#print#asian-art#caricature#ukiyo-e#woodblock-print#genre-painting

About this artwork

This print, part of the series "Six Immortal Poets (Rokkasen)", was created by Chōbunsai Eishi in Japan, employing the technique of woodblock printing. The materiality of this artwork is inextricably linked to its process. Woodblock printing, or *ukiyo-e*, necessitated a collaboration between the artist, who designed the image; the block carver, who translated the design onto wood; and the printer, who applied ink and pressed the block onto paper. The flat, graphic quality of the print, with its clear outlines and blocks of color, results directly from this method. The labor-intensive nature of *ukiyo-e* also reflects the social context in which it was produced. These prints were not unique artworks, but rather commodities, produced in multiples for a growing urban audience. They served as a form of mass media, disseminating images of popular culture. The beauty of this print lies not only in the artist's design, but also in the skilled labor and collaborative process that brought it into being, challenging our understanding of both art and craft.

Comments

Share your thoughts