Actor Ichikawa Yaozō II holding an unsheathed sword c. 1763 - 1777

This print of the actor Ichikawa Yaozō II holding an unsheathed sword was made by Katsukawa Shunkō using woodblock printing. This complex process involves carving a design into a block of wood, inking it, and then pressing paper against it to transfer the image. The process is repeated for each color within the print. Consider the way that the woodblock technique impacts the final product. The sharp lines, flat planes of color, and limited tonal range are all direct results of this method. The print is part of a tradition of *ukiyo-e*, or “pictures of the floating world.” These prints were extremely popular with the merchant class in Edo-period Japan, and catered to their interests: landscapes, beautiful women, and, as we see here, celebrated Kabuki actors. Woodblock prints were relatively inexpensive and produced in large numbers. This allowed the wider population to engage with images that had previously been available only to elites, showing how modes of production influenced artistic creation.