The Actor Iwai Kiyotaro II as Lady Itohagi (?) in the Play Genji Saiko Kogane Tachibana (?), Performed at the Ichimura Theater (?) in the Eleventh Month, 1788 (?) c. 1788

Editor: Here we have a print by Katsukawa Shun'ei, dating from around 1788, called *The Actor Iwai Kiyotaro II as Lady Itohagi (?) in the Play Genji Saiko Kogane Tachibana (?)*. It looks like a woodblock print. The patterns and colors are captivating! What's your take on it? Curator: I see a fascinating intersection of labor and material representation here. Notice the grid pattern behind the figure; it subtly alludes to the highly regulated nature of ukiyo-e production and consumption in Edo-period Japan. This print wasn't simply created; it involved a complex division of labor, from the artist's design to the carver's skill to the printer’s expertise in applying pigments. Editor: So, you're saying it's not just a pretty picture, but a record of how things were made back then? Curator: Precisely. The materials—the woodblocks themselves, the inks, the paper—are products of specific economic and social systems. Look closely at the actor's robes. What do you observe about their construction? The textile patterns. Do they speak to luxury? Mass production? These seemingly small details reveal much about Edo-period society and the economic forces driving its art. Editor: The floral motifs look pretty detailed, almost like a brand in themselves. It’s so interesting to consider the social and material context surrounding even something like the actor’s costume. It feels like the print is commenting on celebrity culture in some ways too. Curator: It is! By studying the means of production of *ukiyo-e* and other crafts, we challenge these artificial distinctions. Art and craft collapse, leading to fascinating materialist inquiries into the world. Editor: I’ll definitely view prints differently now. Thanks for this new perspective!