When Commander Perry's ships arrived in Edo harbour in 1853 ending 220 years of Japanese isolation, he found woodblock prints for sales in the streets of the city that was later to become Tokyo. He and his crew were delighted with colourful prints of landscapes or townscapes. Early visitors to Japan took these prints back to the west where they influenced the artists of the time
In the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, European artists became highly influenced by Japanese woodblock prints. Artists whose created works expressing Japanese print characteristics include Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Mary Cassatt, and Claude Monet.
Japanese woodprints are made by carving a picture on wooden blocks and then using the blocks to imprint the picture on rice paper. Black inks and coloured chalks were used. Each colour of a woodblock print has be carved as a separate block and the printing is done one colour at a time.
The techniques of woodblock printing arrived in Japan from China. It was brought by Buddhist missionaries who used the method to print religious texts. Thus both the texts and the technique were introduced to Japan.
Japanese woodblock prints were first made at temples and distributed free to believers. They were simple images of deities or sutras (sacred teachings). As the monochrome prints could be mass produced, the resulting low price made them affordable for commoners who couldn't afford unique paintings. Other popular themes of the time were the floating world which featured images of lovers, famous courtesans or kabuki actors.
Over time, the woodblock prints became more elaborate with two- and three-color prints appearing in the mid 1800s. These were soon to be followed by multicoloured prints. Popular themes were beautiful women, birds, flowers, and Japanese landscapes.
In the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century, European artists became highly influenced by Japanese woodblock prints. Artists whose created works expressing Japanese print characteristics include Vincent van Gogh, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Mary Cassatt, and Claude Monet.
Japanese woodprints are made by carving a picture on wooden blocks and then using the blocks to imprint the picture on rice paper. Black inks and coloured chalks were used. Each colour of a woodblock print has be carved as a separate block and the printing is done one colour at a time.
The techniques of woodblock printing arrived in Japan from China. It was brought by Buddhist missionaries who used the method to print religious texts. Thus both the texts and the technique were introduced to Japan.
Japanese woodblock prints were first made at temples and distributed free to believers. They were simple images of deities or sutras (sacred teachings). As the monochrome prints could be mass produced, the resulting low price made them affordable for commoners who couldn't afford unique paintings. Other popular themes of the time were the floating world which featured images of lovers, famous courtesans or kabuki actors.
Over time, the woodblock prints became more elaborate with two- and three-color prints appearing in the mid 1800s. These were soon to be followed by multicoloured prints. Popular themes were beautiful women, birds, flowers, and Japanese landscapes.