Katoenverwerker met zadel 1822

This print, by Katsushika Hokusai, shows tools for processing cotton, made in Japan sometime before 1849. The primary medium is woodblock print, using ink and color on paper. The texture of the cotton, the weave of the basket, and the wooden frames all come through beautifully because of Hokusai’s sensitivity to his materials. The cotton would have been processed using the tools we see here: a saddle to hold the raw material, a bowstring device for separating the fibers, and spindles for spinning it into thread. Look closely, and you can see the impressions left by the wood grain. We might think of cotton as a commodity, but this print invites us to consider the labor involved in its production. By focusing on the tools and processes, Hokusai elevates the everyday work of cotton processing to an art form. It reminds us that even the simplest materials have a rich history of human ingenuity and effort.