A student from my last introductory block printing workshop generously gave me this absolutely gorgeous book! (My students are so wonderful). It describes textile designs for kimonos made from woodcuts. I’m so completely fascinated and inspired by these images. Perhaps it’s the combination of the color palette, and the delicacy of the designs. Or the fact that I’ve been working so much with linen, exploring the process of hand block printing on textile… I’ve always associated Japanese kimonos with very intense, vibrant colors, but these are more subtle and mixed with grays, like the colors I favor… Also I’m fascinated by the craftsmanship. The essay in the book describes how a strictly disciplined society ruled, creating an environment where superior craftsmanship flourished:
The city of Kyoto was Japan’s imperial capital from 794 until 1603, when the Tokugawa Shogunate relocated the central government to Edo (Tokyo). As the center of court life, Kyoto was a vibrant cultural magnet that supported a high level of connoisseurship in the arts and crafts. The Shogunate established strict control over a class system of warriors, farmers, artisans, and merchants.*
Hmm, warriors, farmers, artisans and merchants — which one would you be?
I think it is also good to be reminded that before we ever stepped foot on earth (or in the studio), there were centuries of artists inventing and mastering this form of printmaking.
*From “Zuancho in Kyoto: Textile Design Books for the Kimono Trade.” Essay by Kenichiro Yokoya, Photographs by Mikio Matsuo.
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