The Actor Kataoka Nizaemon VII as Hayakawa Matabei (?) in the Play Furiwake-gami Aoyagi Soga (?), Performed at the Miyako Theater (?) in the First Month, 1796 (?) c. 1796

This print, made around 1796 by Katsukawa Shun'ei, captures actor Kataoka Nizaemon VII. It’s a woodblock print, a process that required a whole team of artisans. First, Shun'ei would have made a drawing. Specialist woodworkers then painstakingly carved a series of blocks, one for each color. Paper, made from the inner bark of the mulberry tree, would be laid on the blocks to receive the impression. The registration – making sure all the colors line up – was a skill in itself. The materiality of the print speaks to the collaborative nature of Ukiyo-e production. Shun'ei’s design is only the beginning, and it is brought to life by the highly skilled labor of others. Appreciating this division of labor, and the techniques involved, is key to understanding the print's social and cultural context, moving it beyond traditional art historical categories.