Also mokutaku zuri-e 木拓摺絵. A print with a
totally black inked background and outlines of forms left white, giving a striking
effect similar to a stone rubbing. Early examples of such prints were designed
by Okamura Masanobu 奥村政信 (1686-1764) and Nishimura Shigenaga 西村重長 (1697?-1756)
in the late 17c -early 18c. Even after multi-colored prints became popular, artists
such as Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重 (also known as Andou 安藤 Hiroshige; 1797-1858) produced a significant number of ishizuri-e,
using indigo rather than ink for the background color. Shortly after the mid-18c,
the painter-print-maker Itou Jakuchuu 伊藤若冲 (1716-1800) made a number of ishizuri-e,
the most famous of which is the Joukyoushuu 乗興舟 handscroll. |