Field Journal 3: Xylography

         This week’s reading got me interested in xylography, or the relief printing from a raised surface. The book includes images taken from early Europe as printing is being introduced in the area, and just by glancing at some of the pictures I was fascinated by the amount of detail one can achieve even when using different printing techniques.

Xylography Example

What were some of the early roots of Xylography?

        I decided to investigate a little more about the technique of Woodblock printing and came across an interesting article. Originally developed in Asia, the art of crafting a woodblock requires simple tools, a good deal of planning, and skill. Although woodblock printing is an ancient technique, it was an invaluable method used by the European printers in the fifteenth century to transfer illustrations onto a page because it saved a considerable amount of time in much the same way transferring moveable typography did. In early China where the earliest examples of woodblock can be found, “the production of the traditional Chinese print, drawing, engraving and printing were separate processes performed by different people, and with some notable exceptions, the creators of traditional prints were viewed as artisans, not artists”. This is an interesting point because it seems that once this technique was brought to Europe, it served a more utilitarian purpose by merely filling the pages of books with illustrations rather than being regarded as exceptional pieces of craftsmanship. In other words, it seems they served more as prints to be replicated in a book for the sake of reader comprehension in a time where the middle class was growing more literate.

Source: http://www.artgallery.sbc.edu/exhibits/00_01/chinesewoodblock/history.html

    In this way, Lu Xun (1881-1936) of the Creative Print Movement in China said that the Chinese woodblocks which are replicated and duplicated “are European in method and have nothing to do with ancient Chinese woodblock printing”. Rather than trying to promote a revival of the ancient Chinese craft of Woodblock making, Lu Xun promoted a sort of revolution when he suggested that the Chinese woodblocks take on the European approach while still maintaining some Chinese identity. From what I gathered, perhaps Lu Xan was interested in a way to bring an ancient art into a modern context in which it would be revived as a divine craft to younger generations. It manages to cling on to roots while still being able to fit in a more modern setting, and I think this shows a progressive step and new take on an old tradition. 

Is traditional woodblock crafting still practiced?
  
    In a more modern setting with technology constantly changing and improving, it seems that the Japanese still hold on to their traditional roots and this helps define their cultural identity in a modern era. Although the Japanese are known for their technological advancements, there are still those who seek to preserve defining roots and culture in a society where technology merges all nations together. The entire process of going about making a woodblock is still painstaking and a labor of love; however, the results are still remarkable. As seen in the pictures, these craftsmen only have one new addition to their workstations, an electric lamp. 

Link: Modern Woodblock
Link: Traditional Japanese Woodblock History