Colofon 1804

This is the colophon of a book, made by Kitagawa Utamaro, probably sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. The woodblock printing process that Utamaro used was highly collaborative. Artisans, not the artist themselves, were responsible for the time-consuming labor of carving the blocks, inking them, and carefully pressing the paper to create the final image. Looking closely, you can see the fibrous texture of the paper and the crispness of the lines achieved through expert carving. This was not just a means of reproducing images efficiently. It was a complex division of labor, typical of the Edo period, in which highly specialized skills were essential for creating these beautiful, widely distributed artworks. The colophon itself is a testament to this. It credits not just Utamaro as the designer, but also the publisher, carver, and printer – all vital contributors to the final product. This acknowledges the value and expertise of those involved in the process, a reminder that artmaking is often a collective endeavor, deeply intertwined with the social and economic structures of its time.