Episode Details

Up to this point for The Unfinished Print, the primary goal has been to share the lives and works of mokuhanga creatives, for those who want to understand how contemporary Japanese woodblock prints are made. While understanding contemporary mokuhanga is important I believe that one must also search the past histories of mokuhanga. History, how prints were made, sourced and produced in Japan will, I believe, help the contemporary mokuhanga artist understand their craft all the more.

In this episode of The Unfinished Print I speak to Maureen de Vries, co-curator of the Nihon no Hanga gallery in Amsterdam. A small boutique gallery which is the vision of Elise Wessels, a collector who's passion for the Japanese print led her to create a place for people to see and be educated on mokuhanga.

Maureen and I speak on multiple ideas and concepts about modern Japanese prints, post Meiji Period (1868-1912), such as how these prints were viewed in Japanese and Western society. We do this via Nihon no Hanga's exhibitions. We try to understand the ideas and concepts behind the production of woodblock prints in that era. We also speak esoterically about what it means to produce prints from history, what is considered an "original" print, as well as how people from the past and today view post-Meiji mokuhanga. I certainly hope when you listen to this episode you will be inspired to friendly debate, and realize that there can be a lot more involved when trying to understand mokuhanga.

Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own print work on Instagram @popular_wheatprints, Twitter @unfinishedprint, or email me at theunfinishedprint@gmail.com

Notes: notes may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase.

Nihon no Hanga - website (note - Nihon no Hanga is no longer open)

Itō Shinsui (1898-1972) - Nihon-ga, and woodblock print artist and designer who worked for print publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō (1885-1962). Shinsui designed some of our most famous shin hanga, or "new" prints of the early 20th century. One of my favorites is "Fragrance of a Bath" 1930.

Hashiguchi Goyō (1880-1921) - a woodblock print designer who also worked, albeit shortly, with Shōzaburō. In his short life Goyō designed some of the most iconic woodblock prints ever made. "Kamisuki" 1920, and "Woman Applying Powder" 1918.

shin hanga/sōsaku hanga - on the surface shin hanga, the new print movement that began with Watanabe Shōzaburō and sōsaku hanga started by Kanae Yamamoto (1882-1946) couldn't be more different. Whereas the shin hanga movement harked back to an idillic time of ukiyo-e, sōsaku hanga looked to folk traditions and a more rustic aesthetic. Both can be considered "new" prints in my estimation as both began to present their products to a general population at a time when mokuhanga was on the decline.

Kondō Kōichiro (1884-1962) - a painter who produced a small amount of woodblock prints. Produced a series of printed called Senryu Manga dedicated to the poetry of Kenkabo Inoue (1870-1934). For more info and to see his work check out the Artelino page.

Koizumi Kishio (1893-1945) - from Shizuoka, Kishio was a sōsaku print artist. Although his work, such as "G