Tekeningen van de oude Ogawa Usen - deel twee 1940 - 1945

This page, from a book of drawings by Ogawa Usen, was made in Japan using woodblock printing. This technique is an ancient one, requiring immense patience and skill to execute. First, the artist would have made a drawing, and then transferred it to a block of wood, usually cherry. The areas around the lines are then carefully carved away, leaving a raised image. Ink is applied to this surface, and then paper is laid on top and rubbed to transfer the image. Each color requires a separate block, demanding careful alignment. The process speaks to a culture of both artistic expression and craft production, where the labor involved in making an image is as important as the image itself. The texture of the paper, the registration of the colors, and the subtle variations in ink density all contribute to the artwork's unique aesthetic. Considering this, we can understand how such an image, produced through intensive handwork, challenges traditional Western distinctions between art and craft. Here, the making is the meaning.