Description:
[Korea ca. 1940-50's]. DeLuxe sheet, color woodblock printed in 7 colors on Korean "Hanja/Hanji," handmade mulberry paper 34.8 x 45.7 cm., green cotton mounting, gold border, very nice example, unsigned as usual. . *** **** *** . . . A DELUXE GRAND BROADSHEET NINE-COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINT . . . . DEPICTING RURAL KOREAN LIFE STYLE AND ACTIVITIES . . * This is an exceptionally large single-broadsheet, nine-color woodblock print. Printed in brown, green, pink, dark brown, red, gray, ochre, yellow & black. Printing blocks of this size are quite rare and seldom used, therefore it was a Deluxe example, honoring the peasant and their rural life style. . The scene depicts a typical Korean farm house, with several family members engaged in typical activities. . From the upper left, progressing downwards: a. Man at the wooden loom weaving cloth b. Woman in open Cheollik, preparing to nurse a young child c. A woman sewing a red cloth d. A woman holding a tea pot e. Two men working on a wood table…
Read More A rare surviving woodblock (470 x 202 mm.), carved on both sides with classical Chinese text by KOREAN WOODBLOCK
by KOREAN WOODBLOCK
A rare surviving woodblock (470 x 202 mm.), carved on both sides with classical Chinese text
by KOREAN WOODBLOCK
- Used
Korea: [early 19th cent.].
In East Asian woodblock printing, the first step was choosing a piece of deciduous wood. A calligrapher would write out the text on a sheet of paper, which was then pasted ink-side down onto the block. Most of the paper was then rubbed off, leaving only a mirror image of the characters. The carver would then carve around inked parts of the wood to leave the area to be printed in relief. Carving was usually done along the grain. "After the carving is complete, the surface is cleared of any remaining wood refuse or paper tissue and washed. The block is then held firmly on a table with paper, ink, brushes, and other accessories placed to hand. The printer takes a round inking brush...made of horsehair, dips it into the water-based ink, and applies it to the raised surface of the block. A sheet of paper is immediately laid over it and a long, narrow rubbing pad...is brushed lightly over the back of the paper. A positive image of the characters or illustrations is thus transferred to the paper, which is peeled off the block and laid aside to dry. The process is repeated until the necessary number of copies is obtained" (Tsien Tsuen-hsuin, Paper and Printing, Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 5, Part 1, pp. 200-1).
Our block is for printing leaves 14 and 15 from Part 8 of Nŭkch'ŏn sŏnsaeng munjip (or Neukcheon seonsaeng munjip 櫟泉先生文集 [Collected Prose of Our Teacher Oak Spring] by Song Myŏnghŭm (or Song Myeongheum) 宋明欽 (1705-68). The central column of the woodblock provides us with the full title of this work. Song was a late-Chosŏn writer, scholar, and official who served as tutor to the crown prince. However, he was dismissed from office after making political remarks that offended the king (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture 한국민족문화대백과사전, online).
In his scholarly life, Song corresponded with many thinkers of the era. Several of these letters are included on our woodblock. The verso of the block includes the beginning of a letter to one Kim Chungch'ŏk 金仲陟.
Collected Prose of Our Teacher Oak Spring was published posthumously. The colophon mentions that Song has been dead for 38 years at the time of writing, which would date the publication-and our woodblock-to 1805 (some bibliographical records infer the date to be 1809, which would imply a later death for Song).
In near fine condition; small splits to the handles. Woodblocks from the Korean peninsula are rare.
❧ Korean Old and Rare Collection Information System 한국고문헌종합목록, online.
In East Asian woodblock printing, the first step was choosing a piece of deciduous wood. A calligrapher would write out the text on a sheet of paper, which was then pasted ink-side down onto the block. Most of the paper was then rubbed off, leaving only a mirror image of the characters. The carver would then carve around inked parts of the wood to leave the area to be printed in relief. Carving was usually done along the grain. "After the carving is complete, the surface is cleared of any remaining wood refuse or paper tissue and washed. The block is then held firmly on a table with paper, ink, brushes, and other accessories placed to hand. The printer takes a round inking brush...made of horsehair, dips it into the water-based ink, and applies it to the raised surface of the block. A sheet of paper is immediately laid over it and a long, narrow rubbing pad...is brushed lightly over the back of the paper. A positive image of the characters or illustrations is thus transferred to the paper, which is peeled off the block and laid aside to dry. The process is repeated until the necessary number of copies is obtained" (Tsien Tsuen-hsuin, Paper and Printing, Science and Civilisation in China, Vol. 5, Part 1, pp. 200-1).
Our block is for printing leaves 14 and 15 from Part 8 of Nŭkch'ŏn sŏnsaeng munjip (or Neukcheon seonsaeng munjip 櫟泉先生文集 [Collected Prose of Our Teacher Oak Spring] by Song Myŏnghŭm (or Song Myeongheum) 宋明欽 (1705-68). The central column of the woodblock provides us with the full title of this work. Song was a late-Chosŏn writer, scholar, and official who served as tutor to the crown prince. However, he was dismissed from office after making political remarks that offended the king (Encyclopedia of Korean Culture 한국민족문화대백과사전, online).
In his scholarly life, Song corresponded with many thinkers of the era. Several of these letters are included on our woodblock. The verso of the block includes the beginning of a letter to one Kim Chungch'ŏk 金仲陟.
Collected Prose of Our Teacher Oak Spring was published posthumously. The colophon mentions that Song has been dead for 38 years at the time of writing, which would date the publication-and our woodblock-to 1805 (some bibliographical records infer the date to be 1809, which would imply a later death for Song).
In near fine condition; small splits to the handles. Woodblocks from the Korean peninsula are rare.
❧ Korean Old and Rare Collection Information System 한국고문헌종합목록, online.
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Bookseller
Jonathan A. Hill, Bookseller, Inc.
(US)
- Book Condition Used
- Quantity Available 1
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A DELUXE GRAND-SIZE BROADSIDE KOREAN FOLK-ART COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINT DEPICTING A
by [KOREAN FOLK-ART COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINT.]
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Used -
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
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- Seller
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APTOS, California, United States
- Item Price
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A$536.62
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Item Price
A$536.62