Visverkoper 1801

This multi-panel woodblock print titled "Visverkoper" was created by Utagawa Toyokuni II in Japan, sometime before his death in 1835. The print depicts a fishmonger surrounded by women in what appears to be an interior setting, perhaps a merchant's house. The work gives us a glimpse into the social life of the time. We might ask, what does this scene tell us about the roles of women and the commerce of everyday life in Japan? Japanese woodblock prints were often commissioned and consumed by a broad public. The prints offer us a window onto their values, tastes, and social concerns. As historians, we might consult diaries, literature, and other visual sources to understand the social and economic conditions that shaped the production and consumption of prints like this one. Through such research, we can better understand the complex relationship between art and society.