Japanese woodblock prints, epitomized by iconic works such as Hokusai’s Great Wave, Utamaro’s alluring portraits of beauties, Hiroshige’s Heavy Rain on Ohashi Bridge, and Kuniyoshi’s tattooed warriors, represent one of the most significant and influential art forms in history. While the artists of these masterpieces are celebrated worldwide, the other people who played a pivotal role in their creation, visual style, and distribution remain largely overlooked. The publishers were the driving force behind the highly commercial world of Japanese printmaking. They assessed market demand, commissioned designs from artists, and assumed the financial risks of production. Once an artist completed a design, the publisher orchestrated the entire process—seeking censor approval, engaging block carvers and printers and managing the prints' distribution to the appropriate audiences. The Japanese Woodblock Prints Companion: Publishers, Carvers, Printers, Censors, Collectors delves into the production process of Japanese woodblock prints, emphasizing the enablers—the indispensable roles and crucial contributions of the publisher, carver, and printer without whom the great works that inspired Western artists like Monet, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec would never have come to life.
Andreas Marks’ new book profiles over 1,900 publishers and almost 900 carvers and printers, includes comprehensive lists of publications by almost 1,000 artists, and reproduces more than 2,800 publisher seals and 1,300 carver and printer seals, covering a period from the 1640s to the 1990s. Each publisher/printer/carver entry details their place of operation, clientele, active periods, and issued print series in chronological order. These entries provide insights into the status, versatility, favored artists, and distinctive strategies. These entries are followed by lists of censor and collector seals. With more than 1,000 pages of detailed information, this companion is an essential reference for scholars and collectors, offering a comprehensive resource on the often-unsung people who shaped the history of Japanese woodblock prints.