The Courtesan Komurasaki (Tayu Komurasaki) c. 1730

Torii Kiyotada made this woodblock print of the Courtesan Komurasaki in the mid-18th century, using a technique called *ukiyo-e*. Consider the materials: paper, pigments, wood. The artist would have begun by drawing the design, then skilled block cutters carved the image into separate woodblocks – one for each color. Printers then applied ink to these blocks and pressed them onto paper, layering colors to create the final image. The *ukiyo-e* tradition was intimately connected to the burgeoning urban culture of Edo-period Japan, catering to the tastes of a merchant class with disposable income. Prints like this one fueled a fascination with the floating world of pleasure, depicting famous courtesans and actors. The elaborate garments worn by Komurasaki, with their intricate patterns, speak to a culture of conspicuous consumption and elaborate craft production. This print isn't just an image; it's a product of a whole system of labor and commerce, collapsing the boundaries of art, craft, and industry.