Woodcut - the oldest relief graphic technique

Woodcut was created in Europe around 1400, before that wooden form was used to print textiles (already since the 4th century). In the mature Middle Ages, the demand for pictures with images of saints significantly increased. This need was met by the newly developed relief printing technique.

Woodcut - technique

The design or drawing of the artist is cut in a piece of wood (usually beech) and then the background area is cut out with grooves. The convex areas left are covered with paint. The woodblock is reflected by hand (by rubbing the reverse side of the paper with a bookbinder's block) or by using a hand press.

Because of the way of preparing the board woodcut can be divided into longitudinal and transverse. The former is characterized by the fact that the board cut along the trunk is used, and the background is cut with chisels in softwood. The latter uses a board cut across the trunk and consists of small blocks. A stylus is used to cut out the background, this variant uses hardwood.

At this point, it is also worth mentioning colour woodcut. It is generally considered to be one of the most difficult graphic techniques. Colour woodcuts can be achieved in two ways: by applying paint in several colours on one block or by using more than one block, and then each of them is covered with a different colour of paint.

Woodcut in Europe

The first woodcut compositions were characterized by thick lines and scanty chiaroscuro. It was not until Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) introduced subtle gradations of tones and suggestions of texture into his works. He moved away from rigid depictions towards dynamics (e.g. in the work "Samson fighting a lion") and began to depict detailed landscapes with architecture, accurately rendering fauna and flora.

Woodcut in Japan

One of the most recognizable woodblock prints is certainly the work by Hokusai Katsushika titled "The Great Wave of Kanagawa". It was created as part of the so-called Ukiyo-e trend, in which artists depicted secular subjects. Prints with theatre actors, sumo fighters, attractive women or landscapes were popular.