Long live the queen.
You are currently browsing the archive for the Uncategorized category.
Linoleum block print
Acrylic on canvas
Acrylic on canvas
24×36
The history of linoleum rests on the shoulders of the Chinese. While the rest of the developing world was busy creating codices by meticulously copying text by hand, the Far East was inventing the art of printing by carving out blocks of wood and stamping them onto rice paper, bark, or textiles.
Block printing paved the way for Gutenberg’s moveable-type printing press, but each page had to be carved, letter by letter (and backwards). Originally block printing was used exclusively for copying religious texts, but as the centuries passed, it became a wonderful tool for illustrations and even prayer cards. Linoleum began to be used during the early part of the 20th century as an alternative to wood. It was cheaper, easier to carve, and was not limited by wood grain.
Today, block printing has become a forgotten form of art, lost to an age of digital technology. However, there are those of us who see art not merely as the need for something new, nor purely based on tradition, but rather a blending of the two. We see block printing as a way to create multiple images that will never be exactly alike. Each stamp has a personality and life of its own.
So let’s give thanks to the Chinese, who showed Marco Polo the beauty of block printing…even if we couldn’t grasp papermaking for some time.
While this page is being manipulated, please visit
www.myspace.com/anthonyshannonart
You will find pictures of my artwork; linoleum block prints, book arts, and painting.