Modern Print

Modern prints are woodblock prints created mainly from the Taisho era(1912 - 1926). Woodblock prints became rare because of mass printing in the late Meiji era. However, a print maker called Watanabe Shozaburo tried to re-create woodblock prints. Under the movement called gShin Hanga Undo (New Woodblock Print Movement)h, a series of wood block prints which preserves the unique flavor of woodblock prints while fresh artistic expressions were added to them were created.
This movement is followed by gSosaku Hanga (creative woodblock prints)h. Sosaku Hanga artists placed emphasis on curving wood blocks and printing by themselves and thus they pursued to express their own artistic senses.