History of Woodblock Printing
Katsushika Hokusai, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, ca.
Initially, the woodblock printing process was used to reproduce traditional hand-scrolls as affordable books.
Soon, however, it was adapted and adopted as a means to mass produce prints.
The artist would then apply ink to the relief.
Reproductions, sometimes numbering in the thousands, could be made until the carvings on the woodblocks became worn.
Flat Compositions
Torii Kiyonaga, Bathhouse Women, ca.
Katsushika Hokusai, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” ca. 1829-1833 (Photo:Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain)
Instead, they favored strong shapes, graphic designs, and bold lines.
Bold Lines
Ando Hiroshige, Kanbara, ca.
Andō Hiroshige, “The Plum Garden in Kameido,” 1857 (Photo:Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain)
Torii Kiyonaga, “Bathhouse Women,” ca. 1780 (Photo:Library of Congress)
Andō Hiroshige, “Kanbara,” ca. 1833-1834 (Photo:Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain)
