Shirabyoshi Dancer Standing in Asazuma Boat c. 1767

Suzuki Harunobu made this print of a Shirabyoshi Dancer in eighteenth century Japan using woodblock printing, a painstaking process. Each color you see was printed from a separate block, carved by hand. This labour-intensive method gives the image its distinctive character: the subtle textures, the way the colors overlay each other, and the crispness of line. Notice the dancer’s elegant robes, the way they flow, and the willow branches overhead. The materiality of the printmaking process speaks to Japanese society’s deep appreciation of craft and the skill involved in creating such refined images. Woodblock prints like this one were not considered high art in their time. Instead, they were a popular form of visual culture, consumed by a wide audience. As with many artworks, this print invites us to think about the relationship between artistic skill, labor, and value. It shows us how materials and making processes can reflect cultural values and challenge our assumptions about art.