A bust portrait of a beauty 1822

This portrait of a beauty was made by Keisai Eisen in nineteenth-century Japan, using woodblock printmaking. Traditional Japanese woodblock prints, or Ukiyo-e, were made collaboratively, with the artist, carver, printer, and publisher all playing vital roles. Here, you can observe the soft texture of the paper, and the flat planes of color, created by carefully layering different blocks. Notice the bold outlines that define the figure’s features and clothing. These prints were often produced for a mass market, depicting fashionable courtesans, actors, and landscapes. The division of labor in Ukiyo-e reflects the growing commercialization of Japanese society at the time. The process, combining artistic skill with technical precision, challenges our modern ideas of what is "art" and who is an "artist". Examining the materiality and production of this print helps us appreciate its cultural significance, questioning traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.