Ichimura Takenojō V as Yukanba Kozō Kichiza, from A Modern Water Margin (Kinsei suikoden) 1862

Curator: This woodblock print, dating back to 1862, is by Utagawa Kunisada and it's currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is titled "Ichimura Takenojō V as Yukanba Kozō Kichiza, from A Modern Water Margin (Kinsei suikoden)". Editor: It's striking how much texture and pattern are happening. I immediately notice the checkered kimono and the floral motif juxtaposed so closely—it gives the image a powerful vibrancy. Curator: Indeed. Kunisada uses the ukiyo-e tradition of printmaking here. The intricate lines and layering of colours define the sitter’s identity within Kabuki theatre, and perhaps also allude to more widespread cultural shifts. We can deconstruct this to expose the prevailing aesthetics of that time in Edo. Editor: For me, thinking about the production of this image fascinates. Woodblock printing requires painstaking carving and layering. Each colour must have its own block, and then someone has to carefully align them, a team probably. The texture that emerges isn’t simply decorative, but reveals something about the labor, skill, and collective effort necessary. Curator: Exactly. And how that material process feeds into representation, illusion and performance! It captures the ephemeral nature of theater but preserves it through carefully planned, materially intensive actions, imbuing it with new meanings. Editor: Looking at the overall form, it seems as if Kunisada challenges existing artistic boundaries through printmaking—perhaps, intentionally elevating forms of labor viewed traditionally as craft, towards realms seen as “high art." I am intrigued. Curator: The materiality of this print prompts me to think further. This work prompts contemplation around its position amongst cultural artifacts, asking audiences to critically engage beyond subjectivities. Editor: And it prompts me to consider what value and effort, precisely, went into creating something with an intention. I would also hope we take this thought in stride in the other displays ahead!