Woodblock Printing

Woodblock lovers will be fascinated by these splendid collections. 

Story and photo by Keisuke Ono

Alice T. Miner Museum resides peacefully across Route 9. The poetic imaginary Japanese art came to Chazy, New York and is called "Japanese Woodblock Printing."

Jiro Okuyama, director of Japan information center and consulate general of Japan in New York, says, "I am delighted that people of New York's beautiful North Country have this unique opportunity to experience the Edo-era 'Floating world' of Ukiyo-e at the first ever public display of the Japanese woodblock print collection held by the Alice T. Minor Museum." He also says, "It is sure to further contribute to the strong bonds of culture and friendship that people of Japan and the Unites States." 

Japanese woodblock printing is exhibited in a solemn atmosphere as if people feel like time-slipping in old historical times. The source of woodblock printing begun at 1,200 ago and was derived from Buddhism of China.

In the Edo period in the 1600s, Moronobu Hishikawa, who was the originator of woodblock artist, enhanced woodblock painting to the level of artistic quality. He calls it "Ukiyoe." The productive process of Woodblock needs painters for rough sketch, a sculptor for engraving on woodblock and printers of woodcut. Its process is the system of a triple division of work. In the middle of the Edo period, Harunobu Suzuki accomplished woodblock as "Nishikie". It made woodblock more colorful like brocade; over 10 colors were used in woodblock. In the late Edo period, Utamaro Takigawa, Hokusai Katsushika, and Hiroshige Utagawa showed highly colorful skill of woodblock printing and were popular among people.

There is thirty-five Japanese woodblock printing in the Alice T. Miner Collection. The title is called, "Warriors & Entertainers." However, the half of works is occupied by Utagawa Hisroshige. If visitors who know about "Ukiyoe" and see this arrangement, they may think this title comes out because Hiroshige Utagawa's works are a main exhibition.  

Woodblock works, except Hiroshige Utagawa, are simply illustrated by monotones and are delicately sketched. "Sasaki Shiro Takatuna crossing the Uji River (1713)" by Tori Kiyotada is an expressive woodblock and has a lively movement. It is the printing about the battle in Uji River. Sasaki Shiro Takatuna was a courageous bushi (this means solider), and saved his leader Yoritomo Minamoto, who was the great general of the time.

"The Warrior Fujiwara no Hidesato(1750)" and "The Warrior monk Ichirai Hoshi leaping over his companion Tsutsui no Jomyo at the Uji Bridge(1750)" by Ishikawa Toyonobu are the works illustrating Bushi on Uji River and there are only three colors on both works, which have a sense of poetic illustration.

The concept "Teahouse waitress walking through the show (1810)" by Kikukawa Eizan is a woodblock illustration of a woman having an umbrella with a kimono, which makes people think of a typical old Japanese image. The woman in the picture is walking on Yoshiwara Street (downtown in Tokyo, Japan) and is a prostitute. The snow in this picture gives a beautiful perspective and the way she holds her skirt shows amazing expression.

The last picture in the first half of the museum is "Miyamoto Musashi(1830?)" by Kuniyoshi Utagawa. In Japan, there are many pictures of Musashi Miyamoto, who is the great bushi and is highly esteemed in the world. He is well known for his swordsman book "The Book of Five Rings." Musashi's picture is almost the scene of Ganryu Island where he duels with Kojiro Sasaki. Musashi is fighting against a malevolent bat. This is the woodblock when Kuniyoshi traveled around Kiso route. This is one of few pictures about Musashi Miyamoto. This picture will entertain people because of realistic images of Samurais in this woodblock printing.

The rest is the woodblock printing of Hiroshige Utagawa. His popularity in the Western World is that perspective drawing of Gogh had been influenced by Hiroshige. Hiroshge had created a lot of masterpiece of woodblock printing until he passed away by cause of cholera. His masterpiece is series of "Fifty–Three station along the Tokaido" and "One Hundred View of Famous Places in Edo." In this museum, visitors can see a part of these printings.

In a series of Edo by Hiroshige, "Eitaibashi Bridge and Tsukudajima(1850s)" can find his specific technique from color and contrast. This is called "Hiroshige Blue" because of ingenious tone used by dark and thin blue; Dark blue is used in the night sky and thin blue is used to express sea. This picture looks so simple, but is illustrated in delicate sketch; it means perspective between near boat and far boat on the sea or shadow of bonfire on the sea.

In a series of Tokaido, "Numazu" is the picture that travelers are walking on the Numazu Street with "Tengu" mask. Dark and thin blue is also used in this picture and has three-dimensional movement.

These Japanese woodblock printing is high-quality exhibition. If you visit the museum in Japan, you must pay to get in. However, it's well worth it for woodblock lovers to visit this exhibition, because they will be fascinated by these splendid displays. 

Have you ever seen Japanese Woodblock Printings?