A Geisha with a Shamisen 1805 - 1825

Kitagawa Kikumaro made this woodblock print of a geisha with a shamisen. The process begins with a drawing, then a key block is carved. From this impression, a series of blocks are made, one for each color. What is significant here is the labor of registration. To get the colors just right, each impression must align perfectly with the last. It's a painstaking task. The paper itself, was also made by hand. Its soft surface receives the ink, allowing for a beautiful density of color and line. In this composition, the geisha becomes a surface for graphic treatment. Her kimono and hair rendered as expanses of pattern. Look closely, and you can see the faint impression of the wood grain. This adds another layer of texture to the print. She is beautiful, but also an object, made and remade to near perfection. So, next time you look at a print like this, remember that it bridges the worlds of art, craft, and design. The material is as important as the image.