Waves of Renewal : Modern Japanese Prints, 1900 To 1960

Waves of Renewal traces the re-emergence of Japanese printmaking following an era of decline beginning in the late nineteenth century. The early twentieth century witnessed the development of two main printmaking movements. The first--shin hanga (new print)--reinvented and revitalised the time-honoured genres of landscape, beauties and actors. These prints adhered to a traditional production method based on the cooperation between artist, publisher, block-cutter and printer, but one infused with a new language of style and technique. The second--sōsaku hanga (creative print)--was a child of the emerging dialogue between Western and Japanese art and aesthetics. In the main, sōsaku hanga artists sought control of design and production as part of the creative process. Waves of renewal represents the first publication of this size and scope to draw on the extensive holdings of the Nihon no Hanga collection in Amsterdam. The some three hundred prints included showcase the sophistication of shin hanga and the boldness of sōsaku hanga. An introductory essay sets the stage for this rich period in the history of Japanese prints, with ten shorter contributions by noted scholars in the field that focus on aspects integral to our understanding of twentieth-century Japanese printmaking. The selected prints are documented and annotated in a catalogue section.