The adoption
of offset lithography in Japan at the end of the 19th century marked the
decline of the ukiyo-e period
of woodblock printing. Early in the 20th century, the traditional method of Japanese
print making was revived. This revival
period, known as shin-hanga or “new prints”, lasted from the beginning of World
War I to the beginning of World War II.
Listen to a lecture on the popularity of Shin-hanga in the United States
Listen to a lecture on the popularity of Shin-hanga in the United States
Just
as ukiyo-e woodblock printing relied upon a collaboration of publisher, artist,
woodblock carver and printer, so did the practitioners of shin-hanga printing. Japanese print making was also characterized by its subject matter, which depicted
traditional themes of everyday life, such as kabuki actors, beautiful women,
landscapes and landmarks.
The
design motifs and decorative style of shin-hanga prints catered to the tastes
of the U.S. market, which represented a major portion of the Japanese print
market. To this end, landscape artist Hiroshi Yoshida, who is regarded as one of the most accomplished shin-hanga print makers, selected non-Japanese
imagery for his landscape prints, such as the Grand Canyon. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans had lost their taste for
anything Japanese, especially an art form, which romanticized Japanese life.
At the
same time that the shin-hanga printing flourished, another art movement was
taking root. It is known as the sōsaku-hanga or “creative prints” movement. While
shin-hanga represented traditional collaborative printing, the sōsaku-hanga
creative print movement embraced the individuality of the artist. These modern
day artists not only designed the layout, but also carved the woodblocks and
did their own printing.
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The
“Fisherman” by Yamamoto Kanae (1904) exemplifies the sōsaku-hanga art movement.
Work is in the Public Domain PD-1923.
|
Thematically,
subject matter for the sōsaku-hanga artists was as varied as their
personalities. After all, this art movement by its very nature was fueled by
individuality and creativity, not conformity. Styles ranged from contemporary
to expressionistic to abstract. In many respects, artistic developments in
Japan paralleled those occurring in Europe and the United States.
Following
WWII, shin-hanga prints never regained the popularity that it enjoyed before
the war. Instead, tastes in Japan and America had changed. As people looked to
the future, they embraced a more modern artistic vision. Following the war, sōsaku-hanga
artists enjoyed a period of acceptance in the American art market.
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About Jim Hingst: After fourteen years as Business Development Manager at RTape, Jim Hingst retired. He was involved in many facets of the company’s business, including marketing, sales, product development and technical service.
Hingst began his career 42 years ago in the graphic arts field creating and producing advertising and promotional materials for a large test equipment manufacturer. Working for offset printers, large format screen printers, vinyl film manufacturers, and application tape companies, his experience included estimating, production planning, purchasing and production art, as well as sales and marketing. In his capacity as a salesman, Hingst was recognized with numerous sales achievement awards.
Drawing on his experience in production and as graphics installation subcontractor, Hingst provided the industry with practical advice, publishing more than 150 articles for publications, such as Signs Canada, SignCraft, Signs of the Times, Screen Printing, Sign and Digital Graphics and Sign Builder Illustrated. He also posted more than 450 stories on his blog (hingstssignpost.blogspot.com). In 2007 Hingst’s book, Vinyl Sign Techniques, was published. Vinyl Sign Techniques is available at sign supply distributors and at Amazon.
Both the Shin-hanga and Sōsaku-hanga movements reflect the dynamic nature of Japanese printmaking in the early 20th century, showcasing the interplay between tradition and modernity. Each movement offered a unique approach to printmaking, influencing the trajectory of Japanese art and leaving a lasting legacy in the art world.
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