Japanese Woodblocks

The process of Japanese Wood block printing involved many skills. There was first the artist who must be skilled in creating artwork specifically appropriate to be printed, then the carvers who often spent 10 years learning the craft and finally the printers who could properly align the blocks and apply ink to paper. Started in Japan as single color printing in the 8th century, it took nearly 900 years before color prints were produced. Prints often involved 15 or more carved blocks. All of the designs in this set will be taken from actual Japanese Wood block prints. The next two will be actors in very colorful costumes. Actors and the stage were a very popular subject for woodblock printing.

PLEASE NOTE: In order to maintain the integrity of these designs, the 4x4 versions will be different than those shown below. You can see them by clicking on Check Size - US - Metric

Designs in set - Click to enlarge

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Ono no Komachi
Ninth-Century Poet, famed for her spectacular beauty
and its decline in her old age.
Based on print by Kikugawa Eizan
(1787-1867)

Sawamura Sanjûrô III
A leading actor at the Nakamura theater in Edo, famous for his large, fat ear lobes and his great round eyes.
Based on print by Utagawa Toyokuni
(1769-1825)

Taken from a triptych of a *Drinking Party among People of Five Countries at the Gankirô Tea House* People from the 5 treaty countries ,England, France, Russia, Holland, and the United States are included in these prints.
Ochiai Yoshiiku, 1860

Saitôgo Kunitake
A famous actor from a group of prints by Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865)

The left hand panel of a Triptych, a Viewing in Snow, by Utagawa Kunisada and Utagawa Hiroshige. They were known for the careful recording of detail - including the elaborate dress of the male figure (right) delicately holding an umbrella above him and the female figure (left) elegantly brandishing a broom. 1840