An Interrupted Embrace c. 1685

This woodblock print, *An Interrupted Embrace*, was made by Sugimura Jihei in the late 17th century. Woodblock printing is a laborious process. First the design is drawn, then each color is carved into a separate block, and finally, the image is printed by hand, layer by layer. Jihei’s print, made with ink on paper, shows the graphic quality that is typical of the medium. Observe how lines are used to define shapes and create textures, which makes the figures look flat and stylized, emphasizing their patterned kimonos. The production process is a fascinating collision of the hand-made and the commercial. Woodblock prints like this one were created and consumed in a rapidly expanding urban economy; affordable images produced for a mass audience. They sit at the intersection of art, craft, and design. The print’s real value comes from the extraordinary skill involved and the social context it reflects. It's a reminder that even in mass production, the hand leaves its mark.