It is easy to forget about Asian influences on European and North American modern artwork. But modern art is a widespread movement, with practitioners in Africa, Asia, India and the Middle East. In fact, other countries and their traditions were critical to the development of modern printmaking in Europe. The influence of Japanese printing on European artists shows us how much Western art has borrowed from other cultures!

Not only was woodblock printing itself imported from Asia into Europe during the Middle Ages, but 19th and 20th century artists found Japanese woodblock techniques invaluable inspirations for their own work. During the 18th and 19th centuries an abundance of wonderful prints were produced in Japan, called ukiyo-e. These images made their way to Europe and were seen by artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Edouard Manet and Edgar Degas. The beautiful prints from woodcut techniques amazed them with their sophistication and color. In the 20th century the modern art movement called Expressionism was also influenced by Japanese prints. Artists such as Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Edvard Munch produced their own modern woodcut images. Techniques that involved engraving to wood in any way were thought of as beautiful and technically demanding

Printing techniques have had a tremendous cross-cultural influence on modern images. Compare and contrast Japanese woodblock printing with the work of Western artists influenced by them. Note the similarities and contrasts. This history of influence can help shape your own art-buying decisions. If you like wood based images, consider wood block, wood engraving and other engraving techniques as well!

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