One of the first creators of Japanese woodblock are was Hishikawa Moronobu. He gathered the art of various artists and using wood blocks and ink was able to produce many copies of an artists work. These were sold to the Chonin class (affluent merchants, craftsman and workers) who were able to afford such luxuries to decorate their homes. These required the skills of the artist, a skilled carver to cut the woodblocks-one for each color, the paper maker: each sheet made by hand, and the printer who applied the color inks, and finally a publisher to distributed the works. Because they were done by hand, effects like blending or gradation of colors were possible.
 Two Beauties |
 Lobby of a Brothel |
 Beauty looking back. |