['Tadanobu holding a fan', 'Famous people of today with their own calligraphy'] 1860 - 1862

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print, now at the Rijksmuseum, using a technique called *ukiyo-e*. This process relies on a division of labor, beginning with the artist's design, which is then carved into cherry wood blocks by specialist artisans, with a separate block for each color. These blocks are meticulously inked and printed onto paper, building up layers of pigment and line. Look closely at the details – the intricate patterns on the actor's robe, the calligraphy on the fan, all achieved through this exacting process. The *ukiyo-e* tradition was very much embedded in the consumer culture of Edo-period Japan, catering to a burgeoning merchant class eager for images of popular actors and fashionable life. The print served as a kind of advertisement, blurring the boundaries between art, celebrity, and commercial exchange. Each stage of the *ukiyo-e* printmaking process reflects a specific skill, labor, and artistry. Thinking about the networks of production surrounding this print helps us see it as a collaborative achievement, rather than the vision of a single artist.