Art Movements: Japanese Woodblock Printing
Japanese woodblock printing is a very popular medium with a very rich history. Woodblock printing has been used as a medium from as early as the eighth century. Before they were ever used for artistic purposes, they were used to print and reproduce precious texts. Artisans would make the colors on to the block by hand or produce monochrome art. In the mid 1700s, new technology came along. It allowed artists to the block in many different colors on one sheet, making woodblock printing convenient, efficient, and much more beautiful.
Above is an example of one of the earliest multi-color woodblock prints.
The Edo Period of Japan played a huge roll in the history of woodblock print art. In the restrictive society, art and creativity did not come from the military class or the leaders, but rather from the merchants and artisans of Edo. Edo was the name for modern day Tokyo. Out of the seventeenth century Edo came influencial art that is still viewd today such as the famous ukiyo-e, or floating world, woodblock prints and Kabuki theater. The most famous woodblock print, Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, above, was made by Katsushika Hokusai.
When the art of Edo Japan began to leak across the word, artists from all corners of the earth were stunned by them. In particular after the first woodblock print exhibition landed in Europe, many Impressionists began to admire the artists of Edo's ability to depict modern life in such a beautiful, yet simple way. Mary Cassatt painted a few paintings studying this style. Above is her painting Afternoon Tea Party, 1891. Other Impressionist drew inspiration from Edo woodblocks including Edgar Degas, who was a good friend to Cassatt.
Works Cited:
Department of Asian Art. "Art of the Edo Period (1615–1868)." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/edop/hd_edop.htm (October 2003)
Department of Asian Art. "Woodblock Prints in the Ukiyo-e Style." In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ukiy/hd_ukiy.htm (October 2003)
Katsukawa Shunshō. Scene from a Drama. 1770. The Met, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/55489. Accessed 15 Sept. 2020.
Katsushika Hokusai. Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), also known as The Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. The Met, www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45434. Accessed 16 Sept. 2020.
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