Shimonoseki Port Possibly 1856

This print depicting Shimonoseki Port was made by Utagawa Hiroshige, who died in 1858. Its creation involved a complex dance of labor. First, the artist would have painstakingly designed the image, likely using ink and paper. Then, skilled wood carvers transferred that design onto wooden blocks, one for each color. The key block, holding the linework, would be carved first, followed by the others. This was highly skilled work, akin to sculptural carving. Finally, printers would apply water-based inks to the blocks and press them onto paper, building up the image layer by layer. The result is more than just a pretty picture. It’s a testament to a whole system of production, one in which the artist was just one part of a larger, highly coordinated effort. The print is an emblem of the division of labor that characterized the Edo period in Japan, even as it celebrates the beauty of the natural world.