Triptych: Courtesans with Kamuro 

Editor: Here we have Utagawa Kunisada’s woodblock print, "Triptych: Courtesans with Kamuro" from the Harvard Art Museums. The level of detail in the kimonos is just incredible! What can you tell me about the production of these prints? Curator: Consider the labor involved: the artist's design, the wood carver's meticulous work, and the printer's skillful application of ink. This wasn't simply art; it was a complex industry. These prints circulated widely; were they regarded as disposable commodities or valuable art? Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn’t thought about the social implications of their creation and consumption. I'll never look at these the same way again! Curator: Indeed. Thinking materially, we see beyond the surface and into a world of workshops, markets, and a society shaped by its production.