~~ Woodblock Printing Process Illustrated ~~

Process of Wood-block Printing

 

 
Nishinomiya/Hasegawa (probably):
Process of Wood-block Printing, Japan, small 18mo (4 1/8 x 6 1/4 in - 10.5 x 15.7 cm), not dated but believed to be ca 1953 based upon a gift inscription, decorated cloth over cardboard boards, paste on title on front cover, no text or publisher's information, assembled accordion fold-out style booklet with pages jointed at the outer edge, 12 attached pages, 26 pages total counting the two pages attached to the front and back cover. This book illustrates the color woodblock printing process using an image of Mt Fuji and a wave. The image shows Mt Fuji in the background with a lake and boat below that and these framed by a wave. The first page after the blank paste down page contains the black and white key block (outline for the print). On pages following the key block, the left page has the next color woodblock impression applied and the page to the right shows the cumulative state of the print. The woodblock progresses from the outline/key block through the application of 12 additional color woodblock impressions to the completed state of the print. In total, the book is created by using 13 woodblocks (key block and 12 color blocks).

While the Nishinomiya/Hasegawa imprint is not found on this book, I believe that it is very likely that Nishinomiya produced it. A similar book with the Nishinomiya & Hasegawa, Inc., imprint has the same the same title (Process of Wood-block Printing). That book is in a horizontal format and has a paste on title label on the cover identical to the one on this book. For more information on that book, click here.

 

The Completed Woodblock

 

 
Books/Folios With Actual Color Woodblock Prints Illustrating the Process of Color Woodblock Printing:

  • 1907, Process of Wood-Cut Printing, The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, 127 pairs of prints.
  • 1907, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo
  • c1916-c1920, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, (Two Ladies in a Boat), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1920, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained (Lady Fishing), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1940, Process of Wood-block Printing, Nishinomiya & Hasegawa, Inc, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1950, The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, Takamizawa Mokuhansha., Tokyo?, more information here.
  • c1950, Japanese Woodblock Prints, Uchida Wood Block Printing Co. Ltd, Kyoto, more information here.
  • c1950, The Process of Color-Block Printing (Fuji and Trees), S. Watanabe, Tokyo (Ginza), more information here.
  • c1950, The Process of Color-Block Printing (Fuji and Wave), S. Watanabe, Tokyo (Ginza), more information here.
  • c1953, Process of Wood-block Printing (Fuji and Wave), probably Nishinomiya/Hasegawa, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1953, Process of Wood-block Printing (Winter Scene with Temple & Lantern), probably Nishinomiya/Hasegawa, Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engravings, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, more information here.
  • c1963 The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, (Hiroshige's "Night Scene at Kambara"), H. Nakazawa., Tokyo, more information here.
  • c1970, Process Book of Woodblock Printing, Uchida Uchida Art Co., LTD., more information here.

 
Available for Purchase: