Japanese Prints, a Closer Look
Characterization and research of dyes and pigments in Japanese prints
What colors were used to print the Japanese woodcuts in the Rijksmuseum's collection, what is the condition of the prints, and how can we best preserve and exhibit them?
About the project
Since the early 20th century, the Rijksmuseum's collection of Japanese prints has grown to include over 5,000 Japanese prints, albums and illustrated books. The collection includes important works by famous artists such as Utamaro, Hokusai and Hiroshige from the Edo period. In 2022, the Rijksmuseum received a donation of as many as 1,100 20th-century Japanese prints, making the collection one of the most important in Europe. When acquiring and exhibiting Japanese prints, we always ask ourselves: What are we looking at? Are we seeing the original colors here or have these prints faded or changed color over time? How can color differences between different prints of the same print edition be explained? Are we dealing here with fading, with different editions, later coloring or overpainting? Because we do not know how to properly interpret the differences in color, it is also not clear at this time how this is affected by exhibition time, exposure to light, and method of storage.
Aim of the project.
In this research we want to analyze with which dyes and pigments the Japanese woodcuts in the Rijksmuseum collection were printed. We also examine the condition of the prints: Are the colors faded or do they look as they did when they were printed? And: If they are faded, what did these prints originally look like? We would also like to know how to exhibit these prints as safely as possible.
In the first phase of research, we are concerned with prints made during the Edo period (1603-1868). In the next phase, we hope to also examine prints from the Meiji period (1868-1912) and those from the rest of the 20th century.
Staff
Juliet Baines
J.Baines@rijksmuseum.nl
Junior paper conservator
Dionysia Christoforou
D.Christoforou@rijksmuseum.nl
Paper conservator
Marije Jansen
M.Jansen@rijksmuseum.nl
Curator Japanese prints
Idelette van Leeuwen
I.van.Leeuwen@rijksmuseum.nl
Head of paper and photo conservation
Leila Sauvage
L.Sauvage@rijksmuseum.nl
Paper conservator/Conservation Scientist
Emily Benton
Emily.Benton@student.uva.nl
MA student Conservation and Restoration, University of Amsterdam
Partners and sponsors
This research is also made possible thanks to support from Metamorfoze, the National Program for the Preservation of Paper Heritage.
This research involves collaboration with the National Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE), the University of Amsterdam, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels and the Museum of Ethnology in Leiden.
