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Paper short abstract

What can the material properties of woodblock prints tell us about their production? This talk examines the relation between print formats and the premodern paper industry, exposing the gaps in our knowledge of publishing practices and situating the publisher as part of a greater trade network.

Paper long abstract

In premodern Japan, the print industry reached unprecedented heights, with hundreds of publishers operating in the metropoles by the 19th century. The sheer amount of printed matter produced during this period – from books and large series of standalone prints to ephemera such as toys and packaging – indicates a steady supply of materials. As the industry grew, printmakers began to employ an economizing system of paper formats, allowing them to increase both output and profit. This required coordination with the provincial manufacturers scattered across Japan, who belonged to two separate yet intertwining industries: paper and wood. These two industrial and agricultural sectors are relatively understudied in the field of ukiyo-e studies, even though they formed the backbone of the print industry. For example, while it is possible to roughly map the regions that produced paper potentially used by publishers, it is still unknown how exactly the publishers acquired their supply. A study of the material properties of prints, rather than their subject matter, such as the economizing format system used by publishers, can provide new answers. A comparison of the types of paper described in Shifu (Notes on Paper, 1777) and printmaker Keisai Eisen’s (1790–1840) comments on printing paper and formats in Zoku ukiyo-e ruikō (Various Thoughts on Floating World Pictures, Continued, c. 1833) reveals that Eisen and contemporaries began to use paper from an entirely different region than their predecessors, signifying a large economic shift in the industry. I show how a renewed focus on materiality exposes our relative lack of attention to and knowledge of this topic, yet may also lead to new insights into the practices of premodern printmakers. What can we learn when we approach the publishing world not as an isolated urban phenomenon, but as part of a larger countrywide trade network?