Curios: How to Make a Woodblock Print Like Hiroshige

The first exhibition on Hiroshige to be held at the British Museum, and the first on the artist in London for more than a quarter of a century, this is a visually stunning portrait of a country about to change forever. Born during an unsettled time in Japan's history, Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) went on to become one of the country's most talented, prolific and popular artists. As Japan confronted the encroaching outside world, Hiroshige's calm artistic vision connected with – and reassured – people at every level of society.

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Each colour is cut from a different block and inked separately. The lightest colour tends to be printed first, then the next colour is printed on top, and so on, layer by layer, until the print is finished. High-quality commercial ukiyo-e prints of the 1850s–60s, around Hiroshige's last years, might have a dozen different colours. Privately commissioned prints might have 30 colours, requiring around 15 separate blocks to be cut on both sides and precisely registered.

Unlike most Western printmaking processes, Japanese woodblock printing is completely non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Equipment and materials require only a modest outlay and the technique can easily be carried out at home. Allying the precision of cut wood with the subtlety of watercolour, it is an artistic practice steeped in nuance.

"How to make a woodblock print like Hiroshige"

Carol Wilhide Justin, June 18, 2025