Three Men with a Tray c. 19th century

Editor: Here we have Hokusai’s "Three Men with a Tray," a drawing from the 19th century currently residing at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The linework gives it an informal, almost playful feel. What do you notice in terms of how Hokusai made this piece? Curator: What interests me most is the visible process. This is a drawing, right? So we’re immediately dealing with the raw materials: paper and ink. You see the artist's hand, the directness of the line. Consider the social context too: Ukiyo-e, though celebrated today, was popular art, made for a wide audience, relying on the labour of craftsmen, woodblock carvers, and printers. This drawing gives us insight into the stages *before* mass production. Editor: So, seeing the initial marks shows us something different than the finished print? Curator: Exactly. It exposes the means of production. Hokusai's hand is guiding us through the initial planning stages, skipping traditional artistic mediums altogether. He challenges notions of the artist as solely an idea-generator, bringing attention to his craftsmanship through line. Consider also, how affordable paper allowed for greater experimentation. Editor: That’s interesting, it makes you think about how the art market values different stages of creation. Curator: Precisely. What might once have been seen as preliminary is now itself a valuable object, due to the materiality of its creation. It raises the question of what *makes* a piece worthy of artistic appreciation: the finished product, or the evidence of the labor that went into it? Editor: I’ve never thought about ukiyo-e that way before; seeing this drawing has completely shifted my perspective. Curator: Yes, by looking at material, labour, and consumption, we’re getting at a far more nuanced appreciation.