Drawing Intended as Design for an Actor Print 1833 - 1847

This actor print design was made by Utagawa Kunisada, and it is made of ink and color on paper. Here, we can see the artist’s keen interest in line and form, evident in the deliberate strokes that define the figures. The texture of the paper plays a role in the visual effect. Consider how the woodblock printing process allowed for mass production, making art accessible to a wider audience, which reveals a facet of the era’s developing consumer culture. Kunisada ran a large workshop that made actor prints. So, issues of labor, politics, and consumption are intertwined in the production of this design. Ultimately, understanding the materials, the making process, and the cultural context helps us appreciate the full meaning of Kunisada’s design, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.