Japanese engraving

A Brief History of Japanese Printmaking.

Japanese printmaking is a unique phenomenon in world art. It developed in conditions of voluntary national isolation for over two centuries, creating a completely original artistic language that would later revolutionize European painting in the 19th century.

Technique and Origins.

Woodblock printing (xylography) appeared in Japan during the Heian period (1794 -1185) and was initially used for black-and-white illustrations in Buddhist texts. For a long time, prints were not considered high art- they were a craft accessible to common townspeople.

The Edo Period (1615–1868): The Birth of Ukiyo-e.

The true flourishing of Japanese printmaking began in the 17th century with the rise of urban culture during the Edo period. Prints became the art of the merchant class - townspeople who could not afford expensive paintings but wanted to decorate their homes.

Ukiyo-e (literally "pictures of the floating world") emerged from the vibrant city life of Japan. The term "ukiyo" had two meanings: "the fleeting world of pleasure" and "the world of sorrow." During the Edo period, it acquired a universal meaning, encompassing not only religion but also practical morality, culture, and art.

Genres of Ukiyo-e.

Bijin-ga - lyrical prints of beautiful women, famous geisha, and courtesans.

Yakusha-e - theatrical prints of Kabuki actors. 

Musha-e - historical and heroic prints of samurai and battles.

Kachō-ga - pictures of flowers and birds. 

Surimono - high-quality commissioned prints, often greeting cards.

Later, in the second quarter of the 19th century, landscape prints became increasingly popular.

The Creative Process.

Technically, printmaking was a complex process requiring the highest professionalism at all stages. The public knows only the names of the artists who drew the designs. However, the virtuoso skill of the carvers (who cut the blocks) and printers (who made the impressions) deserves equal admiration.

Early Japanese prints were black and white. Then came hand-coloring, then single-color printing. Gradually, color schemes became more complex. Multi-color prints required two to eight, sometimes up to thirty blocks. Printing was done by hand, allowing for painterly half-tone effects. Embossing on damp paper, the use of lacquer, gold and silver powder expanded expressive possibilities.

The Three Pillars of Japanese Printmaking.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849) - one of the most famous Japanese printmakers in the West. He developed his own individual style, revitalizing the declining ukiyo-e tradition by enriching it with landscapes. His style is marked by simplicity and monumentality, with a superb ability to convey movement. He created about 30,000 prints and drawings. His most famous work is the series "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" (1831–1833), including the iconic "Great Wave off Kanagawa" .

Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858) - the last great master of ukiyo-e, considered by some to surpass even Hokusai in the lyricism and intimacy of his landscapes. His peak came in 1833 with the series "The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido" . His works are distinguished by their ability to convey mood and atmospheric phenomena- rain, snow, mist.

Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) - the undisputed master of the bijin-ga genre (beautiful women). He created a special type of "large-head pictures" (okubi-e), achieving remarkable psychological expressiveness.

Influence on European Art.

The energy, humor, subtle landscapes, unusual compositions, and use of color in Japanese prints were a revelation for European artists. When Japan opened in the mid-19th century and prints flooded Europe, they caused a sensation. Hokusai and Hiroshige's work profoundly influenced the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.

In Europe, ukiyo-e prints were collected by Whistler, Manet, and Degas; they were admired and studied by Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh, and Seurat.

20th Century: New Movements.

Shin-hanga ("new prints") - a movement initiated by publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885 -1962). He sought to revive traditional Japanese printmaking with some Western elements (perspective, shadows) to suit Western tastes.

Yozo Hamaguchi (1909 - 2000) - a Japanese printmaker who revived the nearly forgotten European technique of mezzotint in the mid-20th century. His works are characterized by brightly lit objects (fruit, vegetables, fish) emerging from a velvety black background, a style described as "romantic surrealism". He participated in the São Paulo Biennale (1957, Grand Prize) and the Venice Biennale (1960), and designed the official poster for the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics.