Printing> The fourth section engraving wood printing
Carving woodblock printing is the most important printing method in ancient Chinese printing. For more than a thousand years, it has made unparalleled contributions to spreading Chinese culture and preserving ancient books and records. It is no exaggeration to say that without the invented carving wood printing, there would be no glorious Chinese civilization today. Carving woodblock printing is a priceless treasure inherited from the descendants of the Chinese nation.
Like any thing, lithography has its own process of occurrence, growth, and decline. In particular, after the introduction of Western modern printing techniques in the nineteenth century into the People's Republic of China, compared with mechanical prints, lithographs, and photogravure, engraving and printing became lagging behind. From this time on, the Chinese traditional engraving and modern printing techniques have been eliminated and the engraving and printing industry has declined step by step. However, some features of engraving woodblock printing cannot be replaced by other printing methods even today. Xuan paper soft and soft white, brush out of the printing ink and scent of fragrance, coupled with cable sets, simple and elegant, is still considered to be the best in China classics.
It is worth mentioning that the unique technique of engraving woodblock printing - woodblock watermarks. The celebrity masterpieces copied by this printing method can achieve unanimity and a few degrees of truth. Some of the reproductions were also presented to the guests as fine gifts. Visible, that is, modern printing has entered the computer era, but the ancient engraving printing, is still a printing of hundred gardens in a never-fading oriental miracle.
First, the recovery of the woodblock watermark
The watermark on the wooden board is based on the traditional Chinese carved wood version, and it has also been developed by integrating the printing method of the printing plate. It is a printing method unique to China and the most ethnically diverse. In the past there was no such thing as a "wooden watermark". The jargon called "brushing". Therefore, the “wooden watermark†is called because the plate is not a metal plate used in modern printing, but a wood plate carved from pear wood or jujube wood. Its ink is not the printing ink used today, but water and Painted watercolors. In the 1950s, the name "watermark in wood" was given to this process for the needs of foreign cultural exchanges.
The woodblock watermark uses only simple tools and materials. With the hands of skilled craftsmen, it prints prints that resemble those of the original, enabling the masterpieces and treasures of the Chinese paintings to be reproduced and reproduced. Until now, no other machine or method has replaced it. This is the great point of this traditional printing method.
For more than 40 years, there have been certain achievements in woodblock watermarking in China, including Beijing's Rongbaozhai and Duoyunxuan in Shanghai.
1. Rong Bao Zhai
Rong Bao Zhai was founded in the late Qing Dynasty twenty years (1894), formerly known as "Song Zhu Zhai", because of its bankruptcy, to escape debt, and changed its name to Rong Bao Zhai. At that time, it was only selling rice paper, four treasures, and antique calligraphy. It also flourished. As for woodblock printing, it is only accompanied by printed products such as calligraphic poetry and letterhead, which are used by a small number of literati.
In 1933, Mr. Lu Xun and Mr. Zhenzhen Zheng entrusted Rong Baozhai to inscribe and copy and copy Hu Shi’s engraving “The Ten Bamboo Shaiks†in the 17th year of the Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty (1644), which won favorable comments from people at home and abroad. Therefore, although Rong Baozhai is in a difficult situation, it can still be preserved. In 1950, the General Administration of Publication in order to make China the traditional printing technology successor, create conditions for it, allocate funds, and send staff to strengthen leadership. Since then, Rong Bao Zhai has embarked on the path of recovery and rejuvenation. China's woodblock watermarks have also become the world (Cart. 20-3).
However, the road has not been easy. At that time, the country was still in economic recovery. People's cultural consumption levels were still very low. In addition, the leadership style at that time still remained in the war years, and the lack of a correct estimate of the characteristics and value of woodblock watermarks made it easy to give up the traditional selection of classic classical paintings and place the objects of reproduction on the folk New Year paintings. The result was less than two. In the year, the funds were exhausted and a new crisis has emerged.
Experiences and lessons make them realize that the characteristics of woodblock watermarks are: they are known for copying Chinese paintings of ancient and modern times, they are difficult in terms of process technology, they have a long production process, they are less in print, and they cost too much. The printed materials that they copy are elegant cultural consumer goods and they are consumed. The target is the upper class of Chinese and foreign literary circles, not the ordinary workers and peasants. Correctly understand their own characteristics, clear the service object, and naturally find their own market position. With the correct guiding ideology, Rong Bao Zhai really embarked on the normal development path (Figure 20-4).
They first tested the famous Dunhuang frescoes both at home and abroad for success. Then, under the guidance of Mr. Xu Beihong himself, he printed his famous work “The Running Horse†and won praise from the art world. The works of Mr. Qi Baishi were printed in books and journals. Since then, works of some famous contemporary artists have come out one after another. On the basis of this, the treasures of the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties collected by the country were collected, such as the “Sui Hua Shi Zi Tu†created by the Zhou Dynasty of the Tang Dynasty, the “Taga Songs†written by Ma Yuan made by the Song dynasty, and Zhao Mengfu of the Yuan Dynasty. The works of Qiujiao Yinma, the Mingzong Mingzuo's Lan Ting Xiu Xiu Diagram, Shi Tao of the Qing Dynasty, Zhu Xi, Zheng Banqiao, etc., were displayed on the Chinese and foreign art scenes through woodblock watermarks.
During the period from the fifties and the mid-1960s, Rongbaozhai's woodblock watermark not only inherited the printing methods of its predecessors, but also had many developments and innovations. From the previous letterhead can only be printed on the letter to the ability to copy the huge footprints; from the previous printing of only light colors, to printing thick ink heavy color; from the past can only be printed on paper, to be able to copy to 绢 ...... This history is unprecedented. Until the "Cultural Revolution", Rong Baozhai printed a total of more than 4,000 large and small works of ancient and modern printing, marketing 48 countries and regions, had held exhibitions in 28 countries, so that the ancient Chinese printing replay international splendor. The best reflection of the wooden version of the watermark technique is the reproduction of the five-generation Gu Hongzhong painting "Han Xizai Night Banquet." This picture is one of the national treasures collected by the National Palace Museum in Beijing.
In the Five Dynasties (AD 907-960), Nan Hong Art Academy painter (Chairman) Gu Hongzhong described the scene of the deluxe dinner at the prime minister Han Xizai. Among them, 46 individuals have different expressions, splendid costumes, and singing and dancing banquets. The scenes are grand and magnificent, and they are artistic treasures that have been uncommon for more than 1,000 years. The length of the work is 343 centimeters long, in addition to the inscription and decor. In order to print this picture, Rong Bao Zhai has specially produced the best paintings and used mineral pigments and metallic colors such as Shiqing, Shilv, Zhusha, and Chijin, which lasted 8 years and carved more than 1,600 pieces of wood plates, printing only. 35. Thanks to the seiko production of hooks, cuts, seals, and printing, the replicas have resembled the original ones, and they can literally make a point. The ancient Chinese woodblock watermark has been sublimated to a higher level of skill in the modern era. A foreign expert praised and said: "The exquisite work of art shows that the art production process itself is a very fine art." In April 1982, Rongbaozhai's woodblock watermark participated in the "Chinese ancient traditional techniques organized by the China Association for Science and Technology". "Exhibition" was exhibited at the Andalo Provincial Science and Technology Center in Toronto, Canada, for six months. It was praised by local Chinese and foreigners.
2. Duo Yunxuan
The contribution to the inheritance and development of Chinese woodblock watermarks is also Duoyunxuan in Shanghai.
Duo Yunxuan was established in the late Qing dynasty in twentieth year (1900) and began as a painting and proselytical industry. Due to the economic downturn and the people’s living poverty, Duo Yunxuan’s gloomy business is also deteriorating. After the 1950s, the government was concerned about the national cultural undertakings. In 1955, Duo Yunxuan sent cadres to strengthen leadership, and from the society, more than 10 technical workers were enrolled in the hook, engrave, print and gong. The Duo Yun Xuan merged into the Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House and allocated funds to build a woodblock watermark building on Hengshan Road.
In 1958, in order to expand the scale of production of woodblock watermarks, the Shanghai Publishing Bureau widely recruited old artists who have carved out, printed, and decorated woodblock watermarks in the society, and hired technicians from Beijing Rongbao Zhai, as well as Shanghai Publishing School. 26 students enrolled in the woodblock watermark class recruited to form an old and new integrated woodblock watermark team.
In early 1961, Duo Yunxuan drew up an independent operation from the Shanghai Fine Arts Publishing House and began to embark on the road of self-reliance development. From 1958 to 1966, Duo Yunxuan successively copied more than 530 kinds of famous paintings and treasures.
In the Ming Dynasty, Qiu Ying's "Akihara Hunting Ride" has etched more than 190 pieces of wood engravings, and Tang Yuli's "Step-by-Yo-tu" has carved more than 200 pieces. Although there are a lot of printing plates and printings, the overprinting is not so bad. It really is wonderful. Such as Qi Baishi's "Red Lotus", 138 cm long, 61 cm wide, this huge picture can not have the slightest misprint.
In 1962 and 1963, they successfully held the Duo Yunxuan Painting and Reproduction Art Exhibition in Beijing, Shenyang, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Hefei and other major cities. The exhibition in Hong Kong was especially sensational and was received by Hong Kong compatriots. Welcome.
In the "Cultural Revolution" that began in 1966, Duo Yunxuan was hardly spared. After 10 years of catastrophe and crushing the "Gang of Four", "The spring breeze was on the south bank of the Green River." Duo Yunxuan not only recovered quickly, but also took a step forward in the art of Chinese painting.
Duo Yunxuan's principle of copying is to respect the original style and strive to maintain the original flavor and style. When copying, not only the original rice paper similar to the original and superior Chinese painting pigments are used, but more importantly, the overlay printing technique is used to reproduce the original ink charm.
The "Miscellaneous Pictures" collected by the Nanjing Museum is a masterpiece of the Ming Dynasty artist Xu Ding, a first-class collection. The picture is unrestrained by brushstrokes and ink. It is a great work. Duo Yunxuan spent more than 250 pieces of engraving in 3 years, carefully overprinted thousands of times, and copied 10 pieces. In the first “Shanghai Book Fair†held in Hong Kong in 1984, “Made in Flowers†​​was reproduced in vivid and vivid terms. The original copying skills were highly valued by the Hong Kong art world.
3. Woodcut New Year
Chinese engraving woodcut printing has a long history, and there is also a vast market in the private sector. It uses traditional