2016-12-22

Mountain Cherry and Japanese woodblock printmaking


In the West the most famous examples of Japanese woodblock prints are the masterpieces of ukiyo-e, “Pictures of the Floating World" from late Edo-period (1600-1868). A lot of research has been made on the artists who designed these refined prints, but the method used in their production was quite unknown until about 20 years back. Starting from the 1990’s Japanese non-toxic and water-based woodblock printing technique, mokuhanga, started to gain attention among non-Japanese artists. While the interest in Japanese woodblock printing methods has increased internationally, in Japan the continuance of ukiyo-e print tradition is threatened by lack of successors. Today there are less than 70 professional craftsmen left in Japan preserving the valued ukiyo-e carving and printing skills. Although the union of ukiyo-e craftsmen gets acknowledgement and financial support from the Japanese government, young people have no interest and patience in training themselves in this very demanding craft. But even if the ukiyo-e craft would suddenly become popular among the young it is already difficult to find traditional materials for doing it.  Especially Mountain Cherry, the essential wood material for making the printing blocks, has now almost completely disappeared from the market.

Hiroshige: Arashiyama in cherry blossom time

Mountain Cherry as printing block material
Until the end of 19th century cherry was the main wood material in all Japanese print production from black and white storybooks and advertisements to collector’s multi-coloured picture sheets. From all cherry species the mountain cherry was considered to be the best block material. Old written records (1912) by professional block makers reveal that especially boards coming from Izu and Nikko were the most appreciated material in late Edo-Meiji-period.
Cherry tree belongs to the Rose family, which includes nearly 3000 different sub-species of flowering plants. Prunus serrulata, sometimes called as Hill Cherry, Oriental Cherry or East Asian Cherry, is a species of cherry native to Japan, Korea and China. Mountain Cherry, called yamazakura in Japan, can be identified by its pure white flowers which come out simultaneously with foliage in spring. Someiyoshino and other cultured decorative cherry trees have leaves only after losing their flowers. In natural conditions yamazakura can grow over 20 meters in height and to one meter in circumference. It has a straight trunk where the branches develop higher than with the other cherry species. This feature makes it possible to gain long and even-quality printing boards from the trunk. The wood has straight grain, tight density and quite inconspicuous growth rings. The hard and even quality of yamazakura enables the carving of extremely minute details and lines on the printing block. The durability of the block surface is also a great advantage when making large print editions.
Preparing the cherry wood for printmaking blocks takes time and attention. Ukiyo-e craftsmen are particulary strict about the surface structure and the direction of the wood grain when they are choosing their wood material. Large blocks cannot be constructed by gluing together two or more separate boards, because the joint would show in the print and eventually crack during the wetting and heavy printing process.
Maximum size of the printing blocks for sale is determined by the size of the yamazakura tree trunks in production. To prevent strong warping the sliced boards are left to dry for several years (traditionally for 10 years) after cutting down the tree.
Difficulty to find proper mountain cherry wood has given birth to invention of cherry plywood. It has already replaced full-wood blocks in most traditional print workshops. Cherry plywood for ukiyo-e print production is made by gluing c. 4 mm thick sheet of yamazakura on both sides of shina-veneer. The yamazakura sheets come from old disposed printing blocks. The carved image on the surface of the block is planed away to reveal the untouched wood inside. Old antique blocks, especially ukiyo-e keyblocks, are never used in plywood production. They have great historical and cultural value and thus they are preserved in private and public collections. AIthough the cherry plywood blocks work well and are now commonly used in ukiyo-e workshops, they are not the final solution to the block material problem: in the long run, there will be no old blocks anymore to use for making the plywood.


The future of Japanese traditional ukiyo-e craft is closely connected to the availability of wild mountain cherry. The print production is continuing for the time being, thanks to the enthusiasm of devoted craftsmen and art lovers. Although
this unique craftsmanship will eventually fade away one day, the beauty and excellence of yamazakura will still reside in ukiyo-e prints for future generations.



Tuula Moilanen
Full presentation on the subject can be found at http://worldwoodday.org/2015/
 

 

Sakura Gokujō Ita, “The Very Best Sakura Blocks”. Sales advertisement of block maker Minoya Matsuzo in Habashita Sugimachi. Woodblock print, Meiji-period (1868-1912). Published on the 5th month of the year (year not marked).  
 
Sales items are shown on the right as simplified line drawings. The blocks are depicted with hashibami, the supporting side strips. Text in the middle gives appraising information about the products. The selling prices of the blocks are marked as follows: Block for printing on hanshi-paper, 10 zen (c.2000 yen), for printing on Minoshi-paper, 13 zen (c.2500 yen), and for Yoncho-paper, 8 zen (c.1600 yen). The corresponding contemporary prices in yen are counted by comparing the price to a noodle cup price in 1904 (Meiji 37), which was 2 zen. Today (2014) the same cup of noodles costs about 400 yen. The price for hand-planed yamazakura printing block today (2015-16) is about 14000 yen  (thickness c. 23 mm, size c. 39 x 27 cm).



References

Arioka Toshiyuki: Sakura I and Sakura II (Mono to ningen no Bunkashi 137-I, 137-II). 2007, Hosei University Press, Tokyo 有岡利幸:I、桜II(ものと人間の文化史137-I,137-II) 法政大学出版局

Hanga Geijutsu 124, Nihon no mokuhanga 100 nen. Article: Dentōteki mokuhan no dōgu-zairyō no ima. 2004, Abe publishing co., Tokyo 版画芸術124号、2004年。日本の木版画100年。伝統的木版の道具材料の今

Ishii Kendo: Nishiki-e no hori to suri. 1929, Unsodo, Kyoto 石井研堂:錦絵の彫と摺。昭和4年、芸艸堂発行、京都

Kaneko Takaaki: Hanbon no hangi. Sono kihonteki kōzō (Physical Structure of Japanese Woodblocks for Printed Books). Art Documentation Kenkyu, no.17, 2010. 金子貴昭:版本の版木その基本的構造。20103月、アート・ドキュメンテーション学会、大阪
Kaneko Takaaki: ”Shokiken Bokuchifuku” no hangi. Art Research Journal vol.10, 2010. Ritsumeikan University Kyoto. 金子貴昭:「賞奇軒墨竹譜」の版木、Art Research vol.10, 2010 立命館大学京都
Miyoshi Manabu: Sakura. 1938, Fuzanbo, Tokyo 三好学:桜。昭和13 富山房、東京
Nodasaka Shinya: Ki wo erabu. Zōenjumoku-jiten. 2011, Apoc, Tokyo野田坂伸也:木を選ぶ。造園樹木事典。2011年、アポックス社、東京



 


2016-06-26

Ofuda Hakase Frederick Starr

While organizing the vast collection of senshafuda, which I have in my possession for research in Helsinki, I came across a fuda-style print, that seems to be a copy of a letter. The message is signed by Frederick Starr in Tokyo, on March 23th, Taisho 6 (Western calendar year 1918). The Japanese translation of Starr’s handwritten words can be found on the left side of the print.



Frederick Starr (1858-1933) was a professor of anthropology at the University of Chicago. Among other things he is known as an enthusiastic researcher of Japanese culture and life. Starr travelled in Japan multiple times in the early years of 20th century. He also took part to Shikoku pilgrimage. Probably he was the first foreigner who seriously attempted to visit all the 88 temples on the holy route.

The thing that the letter of gratitude by Starr, written freely at the nosatsu-collectors meeting, was carefully transferred and carved on woodblock, and then printed into several copies, reveals the high appreciation that Japanese people felt towards this American professor. Story goes that people came in cheering crowds to welcome Starr at railway stations when he traveled in the countryside. Such stories may be somewhat exaggerated but the fact remains that Starr was truly well-liked among Japanese people. He seems to have adjusted seamingly with the Japanese daily manners. A Japanese writer who knew Starr noted in his article that "Starr is no different from the Japanese, having a bath, eating sashimi and miso... and can even sit properly on the tatami."

Frederick Starr had various research projects while in Japan. The one for which he is best known is his study of senshafuda (senjafuda), woodblock printed votive slips, which originally were produced for pilgrims as personal name tags to be pasted on temple gates and pillars. The nick name Ofuda Hakase, meaning “Doctor of Fuda” or “Fuda Professor” in English, comes from Starr’s notably strong interest in fuda-prints.

In the latter half of the 19th century senshafudas developed into beautiful multicolour artworks with widely ranging motifs and large scale themes. They were designed by professional artists and were executed as woodblock prints by highly skilled artisans. The fuda-collectors formed groups that gathered in regular Nosatsu-kai meetings to exchange their prints. Starr probably attended in many of those gatherings. The activity of fuda-collector groups reached its peak during the first decades of the 20th century, but the tradition has not completely faded. Small Nosatsu-kai meetings still take place in Tokyo. They have even made a present-day fuda-print of Frederick Starr! You can find it and other interesting collector’s info at  http://www.geocities.jp/edoutako_y/ (in Japanese)

I am anxious to know more about Starr and his relationship with Japan. I wonder if there are such keen fuda-collectors in the West nowadays?




Left: Another interesting fuda-style woodblock print carrying Starr’s name. Estimating by the appearance of the lettering and variation in the thickness of lines, the original writing was written with an ink brush. This one is a thank-you note, too. The print is signed by Maebashi Hanbei, Starr’s regular interpreter, who accompanied him in all his travels.











Fuda-prints in this blog:  Sumio Yamazaki Collection, Kyoto
Link to F.Starr in Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Starr

Other references: David C. Moreton, An Account of the Shikoku Pilgrimage by Frederick Starr. Article in The Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol. 19 / 2005



2016-05-11

Welcome to Mokuhanga Study Room!

This blog is created by Finnish printmaker and book artist Tuula Moilanen in co-operation with Sumio Yamazaki, a dealer and collector of antique Japanese prints and art books in Kyoto. Together we study Japanese old printing methods, especially woodcuts, and bring you new information about their yet hidden secrets.

More information about us:

www.tuulamoilanen.net 
http://www.artbooks.jp/

WHAT IS MOKUHANGA?
Word mokuhanga means "woodcut print" in Japanese language. Nowadays it is also used to describe Japanese watercolor woodcut printing technique. Famous ukiyo-e prints from 18th and 19th century, which were designed by master artists such as Hokusai and Utamaro, are all made with mokuhanga. In those days this demanding printing technique was also widely used in book production, advertising and in various paper crafts. 



COMING UP!

Please follow our next updates on curious old print items from Meiji-Taisho period.

HIKIFUDA
Hikifuda posters were designed in Japan as New Year gifts for customers by various shops and manufacturers. They usually carry well-wishing images of good luck and fortune, for example Fuji-mountain, cranes, Fukusuke or O-Fuku. Among the seven lucky gods the most popular ones used are Daikoku and Ebisu. Sometimes a calendar for the becoming year is included in the advertisement. A picture base for the poster was often provided by the printing workshop. The product information and the merchant’s name was printed on the blank space usually composed on the left side of the poster.

The short production period of hikifuda posters dates around the turn of the 20th century. The most valued posters are made with woodblock printing technique, but also the ones printed with lithography and offset methods of the time are nowadays considered as highly interesting collectible items.


SENSHAFUDA

Original senshafuda (senjafuda) votive slips are always made with woodblock printing. They came into fashion in the beginning of the 19th century when a trend for travel begun and many pilgrimage routes developed. First senshafudas were simple black and white name labels that were pasted on the pillars of shrines and temples. This was to prove the visitor’s own faith and also to gain appreciation from the other visitors coming into the same temple.

Gradually senshafudas developed into multicolor small artworks that were published by devoted collectors in senshafuda-exchange groups. Each collector group produced senshafuda prints with various themes, starting with famous kabuki-actors and landscapes in ukiyo-e style to modern style design of folk traditions and objects of daily life. The activity of senshafuda exchange groups reached its peak during the first decades of the 20th century.




Senshafuda with kabuki-actors


TAKARABUNE

Takarabune (treasure boat) prints have magical powers. They were used in Japan during the New Year for gaining the best possible hatsuyume, the first dream of the year.  The print was placed under the pillow before going to sleep on the last night of the old year. The picture of a boat filled with rice and various treasures, and with the seven lucky gods on board helped to provide good omens for becoming year. 


Merchants in Edo-period Japan cleverly adapted the custom of takarabune pictures to their own advertising purposes. They started to publish ever more finely executed takarabune prints in vast quantities as gifts to customers and also for sale. A new magic was attached to the prints: When the print is pasted over a doorway, so that the boat in the picture is heading inside the house, it will bring you good luck and riches all the year round.


POCHIBUKURO

Pochibukuros are printed envelopes used for giving small money gifts. Their production started during the 19th century, when a vast variety of woodcut printed items came out to the market. The exact production date for each individual pochibukuro is unknown due to their practical use as wrapping.

There are many skillful art works among the early pochibukuro. The motifs on the envelopes vary from cultural peculiarities and literary themes to simple kimono patterns depicting fauna and flora. Sometimes miniature ukiyo-e images were printed for the enjoyment of wealthy customers.

In the first half of the 20th century the use of pochibukuro concentrated to the New Year’s time. Nowadays genuine woodblock printed pochibukuros have become extremely rare, but the custom of handing out money wrapped in an envelope still prevails in Japan