Introduction to Japanese prints
Japanese prints are impressions made on vegetable leaves using engraved woodblocks. They originated in China and were imported to Japan in the early 13th century. However, they developed from the Edo era (1600-1868), giving rise to a unique artistic movement: the ukiyo-e.
How are Japanese prints made?
The creation of a Japanese print takes place in three stages:
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The drawing: The artist begins by drawing up his work on a sheet.
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The engraving: The engraver, who is not the same person, will break down the drawing according to its different colors and begin engraving on the different plates.
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The printer: Finally, a third person will ink the drawing on a vegetable sheet using different inks and the engraved wooden plates.
We have deliberately omitted a third person who is nevertheless present but not directly involved in making the print. This last person is the editor. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the creation of the prints runs smoothly, coordinating the work of the draftsman, engraver and printer. He's also in charge of finding and contracting talent in their respective fields.
What are Japanese prints used for?
Japanese prints were originally intended for printing religious texts. Later, they were used to print books, and finally contributed to the development of ukiyo-e art (from 1600).
Prints have constantly reflected the country's economic and social situation through their drawings. Most of the time, they depicted different cultural aspects of Japan, such as geishas, samurai, traditional landscapes, but also popular animals like carp or cats. This made it possible to convey an important message that is the very soul of ukiyo-e, the fact that everything is ephemeral and changeable and that we must therefore make the most of every moment of our lives. Literally ukyiyo-e means: image of the floating world.
So prints were initially used as posters, often stuck to posts/pillars, but their main role remained decorative. They were therefore the object of gifts for those who could afford to buy them. The last form of print, called " de luxe " or surimono, were prints printed in only a few copies and commissioned privately. Only the wealthiest Japanese could afford them, and they could be used to illustrate a poem or a feat of some kind in the life of a nobleman. As Japan underwent a great period of isolation from the outside world, printing methods such as lithography or the printing press did not reach the territory. Japan therefore continued to use prints as a unique printing medium and learned to perfect this art like no other in the world.
Why use Japanese prints as decorative objects?
Prints are first and foremost a reflection of a philosophy and a way of thinking. But they can also, and above all, be used to decorate a room or a living space and add a special atmosphere.
Original prints are relatively rare objects that can quickly become quite expensive. Up to €40,000 to €50,000 for original works of " The Great Wave of Kanagawa " by Hokusai. That's why we prefer to offer reproductions of the original Japanese prints. This allows us to drastically lower the price and overcome the major problems of many of today's prints, namely discoloration and aging of the paper, which render the print of inferior quality.
In our " estampes japonaises " collection, you'll find a wide range of reproductions of the finest prints Japan has produced, such as Hokusai's " Les 36 vues du Mont Fuji ".
