Illustration of the Issuing of the State Constitution in the State Chamber of the New Imperial Palace (Shin kōkyo ni oite seiden kenpō happushiki no zu) 1889

Adachi Ginkō created this woodblock print depicting the issuing of the Meiji State Constitution in the New Imperial Palace. Ginkō, along with his publishers, engaged in the production of *ukiyo-e*, or "pictures of the floating world." These prints were not made by a singular artist, but through collaborative labor. The artist would design the image, which would then be handed over to woodblock carvers and printers who would create the final print. These prints relied on a highly skilled division of labor. It’s interesting to consider how this image of a modernizing Japan, complete with European-style military uniforms and interior décor, was itself made using a distinctly pre-modern production system. It reminds us that even as Japan embraced industrialization, it continued to rely on traditional craft practices. By focusing on the material, processes, and context of the artwork, we appreciate the complexities that challenge traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.