Two crabs by a spray of camellia c. late 1820s - early 1830s

Curator: This is “Two crabs by a spray of camellia,” a woodblock print from the late 1820s, early 1830s, by Katsushika Taito II, currently held at the Art Institute of Chicago. The composition strikes me as quite delicate and minimal. Editor: It's amazing how much detail he gets with seemingly so few lines. What can you tell me about the artist’s approach to materials here? Curator: Well, consider the process of creating a woodblock print. Each color requires a separate block, carefully carved. Taito II wasn’t just depicting crabs and camellias, but also engaging in a very labor-intensive act. How does this handmade aspect shift our perception of the artwork in the age of mass production? Do you think the value shifts when we consider the skill needed versus ease of replication? Editor: It definitely changes the way I see it! I hadn't really considered the layers of skill and work involved to make one print, even before distribution for consumption. So, you're saying we need to consider both the artistry and the production, sort of "high" and "low" culture. Curator: Precisely. And what about the cultural context? This print would have been produced for a specific market. We must examine who had access to it, how much it might have cost, and its intended use in 19th-century Japan. The "ukiyo-e" tag reinforces that consideration, since its direct translation suggests the material culture was ephemeral, for passing tastes. Considering production, the materials available and consumer accessibility allow us to understand more than just the visual artistry. Editor: I never thought about approaching art history in that way, emphasizing the work of creating and accessing rather than what is represented. I’ll keep this approach in mind going forward!