Twentieth-century prints

From the end of the 19th century, radical changes were faced by Japan as it set out on a course of modernisation. These were reflected in two major trends in printmaking: the Creative Print (Sôsaku Hanga) and the New Print (Shin Hanga) movements. The Creative Print movement was initiated by Western-style painters, who emphasised the importance of self-expression and insisted on total control of the production of the print. The New Print movement aimed at revitalising the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition for the modern era through high-quality prints of traditional ukiyo-e subjects.

The devastating effects of World War II and massive social upheaval under the Occupation had far-reaching effects on Japanese print artists. For them, the breakdown of traditional training systems, shortage of materials and enforced poverty were catalysts for changes in printmaking. As Japanese artists travelled to the West to study, they were exposed to contemporary Western printmaking, with its emphasis on technical variety and experimentation. From the 1950s, there emerged a vibrant and innovative printmaking scene in Japan.