Five Pictures of Low Tide, "Mother and Child" 

Editor: This is Utagawa Kuniyoshi's "Five Pictures of Low Tide, 'Mother and Child'," a woodblock print. The textures in the clothing and water are just beautiful. What can you tell me about its making? Curator: Let's consider the labor. How was the woodblock carved, and by whom? Were these artisans celebrated or anonymous? Also, notice the subtle gradations of color. How did the printers achieve this effect, and what materials were available to them? Editor: So, by understanding the materials and production methods, we get a better sense of the society that made it? Curator: Precisely. Understanding how the artist, engravers, and printers operated reveals the social dynamics and the status of the artwork in its time.