The Temple of the Five Hundred Arhats (Rakan), from the series Mount Fuji in the Four Seasons (Shiki no Fuji) c. 1785

Editor: Here we have Torii Kiyonaga's "The Temple of the Five Hundred Arhats," a woodblock print. The texture of the paper and the flat planes of color are striking. What can you tell us about this work? Curator: I see a fascinating confluence of production methods. The materials – the paper itself, the inks, the woodblocks – all speak to a highly developed system of craft and labor. The print's dissemination reflects an economy of consumption and artistic expression that challenges our traditional notions of "high art." Editor: So, it's less about the subject and more about how it was made and distributed? Curator: Precisely. Consider the social context of these materials. Where did they come from? Who made them? How did this influence artistic choices? Editor: That shifts my perspective completely. I'm going to look at all prints differently now! Curator: Excellent! Always consider the means through which art comes into existence.