VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM CATALOGUES TOOLS AND MATERIALS ILLUSTRATING THE JAPANESE METHOD OF COLOUR-PRINTING A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF A COLLECTION EXHIBITED IN THE MUSEUM By Edward Strange London PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE 1913 [THE MAKING OF COLOUR-PRINTS—WOMEN AS ENGRAVERS.] UTAMARO.—Yedo Meibutsu Nishikiye Kosaku. “The making of colour-prints, the famous product of Yedo: after the engraver’s rough engraving the design is carefully carved.” An illustration of the carving of wood-blocks fancifully represented as being done by women. From a print in the Victoria and Albert Museum. J. 5040. CONTENTS PREFATORY NOTE HISTORICAL NOTE THE DRAWING CUTTING THE BLOCK PRINTING PAPER BOOKS OF REFERENCE PREFATORY NOTE This pamphlet has been prepared by Mr. Edward F. Strange, of the Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design, for use primarily in connection with a collection of Tools, Materials and Examples, specially brought together and now exhibited in the Museum, to illustrate the technique of Japanese Colour-printing from wood-blocks. The descriptive matter has been somewhat amplified, in order to render it of value to those who cannot immediately refer to the Museum collections. The works of reference consulted, are named herein; and acknowledgment must also be made to Mr. Hogitaro Inada, for translations from the Japanese, kindly supplied by him. CECIL SMITH. Victoria and Albert Museum, 1913. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS