<< About KUCHI-E Woodcut frontispieces >>

KUCHI-E were woodblock prints popularly used as frontispieces for novels and literary magazines such as the 'BUNGEI CLUB' from the late Meiji-era into the Taisho-era. 　 　 Use of the traditional woodcut technique resonated with the general reader, who welcomed it in reaction to the intense wave of Westernization that had swept the country in the early Meiji period. 　 The prints built on the traditions inherited from the old 'NISHIKI-E', becoming a blend of traditional expression and Occidental drawing techniques. 　 As the status of the KUCHI-E designers was quite low when compared with painters in oils or nihonga painters, as was that of the venue in which they worked (novel and magazine illustrations), their work has been ignored by the fine art world until recently. But now, more than 100years later, the depth of the prints has led to a resurgence and reappreciation of their beauty. I would like to introduce you to the newly rediscovered KUCHI-E! Jan. 2002　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Kayuudou Yuusai Asahi Tomoo