Thursday, April 02, 2020

Woodblock Printing- Suzuki Harunobu

Hello, my most amazing art students!
How are you today?

Woman Admiring Plum Blossoms at Night, Suzuki Harunobu 1725-1770
Edo Period
Woodblock print with embossing

In this print, one of Harunobu's most poetic images, a nymphlike beauty dressed in an elegant kimono stands holding a lantern and gazing dreamily at the plum blossoms. The image of admiring plum blossoms at night is a classical theme in the East Asian poetic tradition, and Harunobu's lyrical rendition has much in common with the art of the Heian period (794–1185). The stylized shape of the cloud at the top of the print reinforces the classical references. Harunobu and his patrons from the elite merchant and samurai classes in the capital, Edo (now Tokyo), admired the literary and cultural tradition of Kyoto, which was the capital during the Heian period.

In this print, the artist applied one of the techniques of embossing uncolored areas. To emphasize their softness, the inner layers of the kimono and tabi socks worn by the woman are raised on the paper. (The Met)


Please watch this video for a great tutorial on how a polychrome (multicolor) woodblock print is made. It's fascinating. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8ma5q9-lA0

For next week's upcoming art project

You will need:
A styrofoam plate (any size or shape will work, the $store has rectangular ones that are great as well)
A dull pencil
A ball point pen
markers (not permanent)
paper
a spray bottle or wet paper toweling or A SPONGE

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