Sakonashita c. 1841 - 1842

This print, Sakonashita, was made by Utagawa Hiroshige in 19th century Japan, using woodblock printing. This process is a fascinating combination of artistic skill and craft labor. First, the design is drawn, then transferred to a block of wood, usually cherry. Specialist carvers meticulously cut away the areas that should not receive ink, leaving the design in relief. Each color requires a separate block, demanding precise alignment. Finally, printers apply ink to the blocks and press paper onto them, building up the image layer by layer. Hiroshige's landscapes weren't just aesthetic exercises. They emerged alongside a growing interest in travel among the merchant classes. Woodblock prints like this one were relatively affordable, feeding a public appetite for images of famous places and scenes of everyday life. The cost of that consumption was distributed along a complex chain of skilled and unskilled workers. So, next time you see a print like this, remember all that is involved in its making. Only then can we fully appreciate its cultural and social significance.