(Parrot in a cage) Possibly 1864

Mori Gishō made this image of a parrot in a cage sometime in the nineteenth century, using woodblock printing. It's a process that requires a high degree of craft. The design is first drawn, then transferred to a woodblock, which is carefully carved. Ink is then applied to the block and paper laid on top before being rubbed to transfer the image. Woodblock prints like this one were relatively inexpensive to produce, which made them popular. Notice how the parrot is meticulously depicted with carefully delineated feathers, its confinement in a cage a possible commentary on the social constraints of the time. The cage itself appears delicate, belying its function as a barrier, a testament to the labor involved in its making. Images like this challenge distinctions between art and craft, prompting us to consider the social and economic context in which they were produced.