Tsumadachi


 * Tsumadachi: A woodblock print of the Buddha's disciple Ananda by Shiko Munakata**



Title://Tsumadachi// Artist(s): Shiko Munakata Date: 1958 Period: Post War Japan, Showa Country of Origin: Japan Cultural/Ethnic Affiliation: Japanese Medium: Woodblock Print Dimensions: 16 11/16 x 11 15/16 in. (42.39 x 30.32 cm) Museum/Collection: Los Angeles County Museum of Art Accession Number: Gift of Peter Ries (M.2000.108.2) Current Location and Manner of Display: Provenance:
 * Artwork Identification**

Introduction
According to many scholars, Shiko Munakata (1903-1975) is the greatest woodblock print artist of the twentieth century. Munakata was born in Aomori, Japan, the son of a blacksmith. In 1924 he moved to Tokyo to pursue a career as an oil painter. The Expressionistic manner of Vincent van Gogh inspired his early style, but after seeing woodblock pieces by Sumio Kawakami in 1926, he decided to experiment with printmaking. In 1928, the same year one of his oil paintings was selected to be part of the Imperial Art Exhibition, he received printmaking lessons from the woodblock print master Un'ichi Hiratsuka.

Under the influence of Japanese Romantic artist Shoji Hamada, Munakata decided to focus on traditional Japanese art and aesthetics rather than on Western style oil paintings. Also, he was in touch with members of the Mingei (folk arts) movement, who praised his innovative printmaking style. In 1935, he became a member of the Kokugakai art association as a printmaker. In the following year, Yanagi Soetsu, the founder of the Mingeikan museum and mentor of the folk arts movement, purchased Munakata's series of prints called //Yamatoshi Uruwashi//. From then on, Munakata was associated with the folk arts movement.

Munakata achieved great success in the following years, receiving awards in many events, such as the Sao Paulo and Venice Biennales. Furthermore, he was invited to participate in art exhibits in Europe and the United States. In 1963, he received the Medal of Honor in Japan, and seven years later he was awarded the Bunka kunshō (Order of Culture), Japan's greatest honor in the arts. Solo exhibitions of his works were shown worldwide, and a traveling display of his body of work was held in Japan in 1985.

Descriptive Analysis
The woodblock print //Tsumadachi// is part of the series entitled the //Ten Disciples of the Buddha//. The blocks were completed in 1939, but the original prints were destroyed in an air raid in 1945. Luckily, the blocks survived the attack, and the series was reprinted after the war. The title of the print //Tsumadachi// refers to the Sakyamuni's cousin and close disciple Ananda.

This print is made of black ink on paper, and measures 42.39 x 30.32 cm. The figure on the print wears a long, loose robe, which appears to drape from one shoulder. His body is in partial profile and his head is looking down. His hair appears to be shaved. He is depicted in an abstract form, with simplified features and lack of small detail. The red seal on the bottom left corner contains the artist's name.

A woodblock print is an impression made from an image carved on wood. The first step is to carve the design into a block of wood using a chisel. There are four types of chisels – the knife, the veiner, the gouge, and the flat chisel. Each type will contribute a different characteristic to the design; the skill and creativity of the artist will dictate which tool to use. The next step is to ink the wood. If the artist wants to make an impression of the raised areas of the paper, he will apply ink to those areas and leave the depressions clean. This technique is called //relief// printing. On the contrary, If the artist wants an impression of the carved areas, he will apply paint into the depressions and wipe the raised surfaces clean to produce an //intaglio//. The last step is to place paper on the wood and rub it to make the print. A baren is a tool used to press the paper down to obtain the picture. The ink can be water-based or oil-based, depending on what effect is sought by the artist.

Formal & Contextual Analysis
Munakata was interested in Japanese Buddhist prints from the medieval period. The simple style and execution of these artworks were appealing to modern artists, such as Munakata, who decided to work on traditional printmaking. However, the emotional and energetic manner of his artworks shows influence of Western Expressionism. Therefore, Munakata's work exhibits a combination of Eastern and Western influences.



Buddhist iconography is often applied in Munakata's artworks. In addition to //Ten Disciples of the Buddha// series, he made carvings of bodhisattvas and the Buddha. Other themes were inspired by Japanese mythology and folk tales. Munakata was a prolific artist. Besides woodblock prints, he produced illustrated books and works of calligraphy.



Top: The Character "Mu" Meaning "Nothing" http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/ Bottom: Seas and Mountains (Umiyama) Calligraphy http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/

Munakata's most expressive works are monochromatic, where he worked with black ink on white paper. As we can see in //Tsumadachi//, the thick outlines and solid black shapes of the image contrast with the white spaces of the paper, creating a simple yet powerful composition. He worked fast and furiously, creating extremely personal designs, with little concern for calculation.



Needs to be added
 * Personal Interpretations**

//Printed Sources// Azechi, Umetaro. Japanese Woodblock Prints: Their Techniques and Appreciation. Tokyo: Toto Shuppan Company, Ltd., 1963. Munsterberg, Hugo. The Japanese Print: A Historical Guide. Tokyo: Weatherhill, 1982. Yoshida, Toshi & Yuki, Rei. Japanese Print-Making: A Handbook of Traditional & Modern Techniques. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc., 1966. Addiss, Stephen. //How to Look at Japanese Art//. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1996.
 * References**

//Online Sources// Atsushi Tanaka. "Munakata, Shikō." In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. [|http://www.oxfordartonline. com/subscriber/article/grove/ art/T060286] (accessed November 12, 2008). "Munakata Shiko." Mingeikan Folk Crafts Museum. http://www.mingeikan.or.jp/english/html/munakata-shiko.html (accessed November 12, 2008). "Shiko Munakata's Career - A Summary." Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art. http://www.lantecweb.net/shikokan/ (accessed November 12, 2008). //Image Sources// "Munakata Shiko." Mingeikan Folk Crafts Museum. http://www.mingeikan.or.jp/english/html/munakata-shiko.html (accessed November 12, 2008). "Seas and Mountains (Umiyama) Calligraphy." Los Angeles County Museum of Arts. http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=136772;type=101 (accessed November 12, 2008). "Snow in the Mountains." Los Angeles County Museum of Arts. [|http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=103976;type=101] (accessed November 12, 2008). "The Character 'Mu' Meaning 'Nothing'." Los Angeles County Museum of Arts. http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=34220;type=101 (accessed November 12, 2008). "Tsumadachi." Los Angeles County Museum of Arts. http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=120448;type=101 (accessed November 12, 2008).


 * Title:** Blending of East and West
 * Grade Level:** 5th- 8th grade
 * Time:** 2 days
 * Standards:**

This lesson meets the following [|National Standards for Arts Education]: VA.5-8.1. Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes (Proficient: 1 & 2) VA.5-8.2. Using knowledge of structures and functions (Proficient: 1, 2 & 3) VA.5-8.4. Understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures (Proficient: 1, 2 & 3)VA.5-8.5. Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others (Proficient: 2 & 3)

This lesson meets the following [|National Education Technology Standards] for Students 5. Digital Citizenship (a, b & d) 6. Technology Operations and Concepts (a, b, c & d)
 * 1) Communication and Collaboration (a & b)
 * 2) Research and Information Fluency (b & d)


 * Key Concepts:**
 * In his art, Shiko Munakata blends Expressionist styles of Western painting with traditional Japanese printing techniques and subject matter.
 * In Shiko Munakata’s prints, he portrays subjects such as Buddhist iconography, Japanese mythology, and folk tales that are important to him personally, and his culture.

1. First, students will be introduced to the woodblock prints of Shiko Munakata through a PowerPoint presentation of his work. 2. During this presentation, students will be informed of Munakata’s beginnings as a painter, and they will learn how he draws on influences from Western Expressionist painters. Then, they will be told of his conversion to printmaking, returning to an art form that is native to his culture. Buddhist imagery should be explained to students with an emphasis on the relevance it holds for the artist and his culture.
 * Teaching and Learning Activities:**

Images for PowerPoint:

Oak Tree [|The University of Chicago Library] || Chisatsu, 1958 [|Los Angeles County Museum of Art] || Fox and Wolf, 1960 [|Los Angeles County Museum of Art] || Woman With Hawk, 1964 [|Los Angeles County Museum of Art] || 3. During the PowerPoint, the teacher can pose the following questions for students to ponder and discuss as a class: · Why do you think Shiko Munakata blend Expressionist styles of Western painting with traditional Japanese printing techniques and subject matter? · Why do you think Shiko Munakata chose the method of woodblock printing to portray his subjects? · What do you believe Shiko Munakata communicates about himself and his culture through his art?
 * [[image:file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/DONALD%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image002.jpg width="293" height="396"]][[image:Munakata_tree.gif width="365" height="488"]]
 * [[image:file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/DONALD%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtml1/01/clip_image006.jpg width="277" height="328"]][[image:Munakata-_FoxandWolf,_1960.JPG width="392" height="466"]]

Students will then individually complete four thumbnail sketches of ideas for their own woodblock print. They are to sketch subjects that they consider to be important personally or socially. They could choose to depict figures or landscapes, by blending the styles of West art and the art of another culture that enhances the expression of their subject. Students should be reminded of how the weight of their lines defines the depth of their sketches: thick lines moving to the foreground and thin lines retreating to the background.

5. As students complete their sketches, in groups of three, they will be able to further research the life and artwork of Shiko Munakata on the Internet using the following provided websites:

[|Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art] [|St. Louis Art Museum] [|Los Angeles County Museum of Art Press Release] [|Los Angeles County Museum of Art Collections] [|Wikipedia about Shiko Munakata]

6. Students will be made aware that they will be expected to contribute knowledge of Shiko Munakata to a Wikipedia page, so they are to take notes on discussions and research.

7. The next day, students will come prepared with a final drawing to be converted into their printing block. The teacher will evaluate with students these final drawings before students begin to prepare their printing blocks.

Steps 8-12 should be demonstrated by the teacher first. [|Encyclopedia of Woodblock Printmaking] 8. Students will cover the entire surface of the back of their final drawing using a graphite pencil. 9. Then, while laying the backside down on top of their woodblock, they will trace over the lines of their drawing, rubbing the graphite off onto the woodblock. 10. Using a variety of small chisels students will gouge out areas on the surface of their woodblock according to the marks they transferred from their final drawings. Students should be instructed to pay attention to all areas, both positive and negative, of their printing block. They can also add texture to empty spaces using their chisel. 11. When the printing block is prepared, they will gather and apply ink to the woodblock using a roller, or brayer. 12. Paper is then laid on top of the inked woodblock and patted down with a baren. The first few practice prints should be done on inexpensive paper. After techniques have been refined, final prints can be done on nicer papers. Students should experiment with printing on a surface that has been painted with a wash of color and then dried. They can also paint onto a print with washes of color. They should practice relief and intaglio methods. All of these techniques will be demonstrated. 13. As students are working on their finished woodblock prints, they will individually take some time to visit and edit the Wikipedia page about Shiko Munakata: [|Wikipedia about Shiko Munakata] As each student adds and edits the Wikipedia page, they should be closely monitored by the teacher so they stay on task and away from inappropriate material. 14. Following all of these activities, students will present a finished print to their classmates, explaining their successes and failures. Classmates should provide constructive feedback and criticism. 15. A class discussion will then be held reflecting on students’ experiences researching Shiko Munakata using the websites and editing the Wikipedia site. They can share what they liked and disliked, and why.


 * Assessment:** The following rubric should be shared with students at the beginning of the lesson:


 * **Rubric** || **Possible**
 * Points** || **Points**
 * Earned** ||
 * **Group Discussions:** Student offers insightful comments backed by observable and understandable facts. They support and build off of the ideas of others. They reflected on and evaluated their experience of creating their artwork and using technology to gather and share information. || **5** ||  ||
 * **Woodblock Prints:** Student’s artwork displays a response to their environment or personal experiences through their choice of subject matter and blending styles and techniques. They have made all areas of their printing surface interesting using varying line thickness and texture. Relief and Intaglio methods, and printing combined with color washes, should be executed successfully. Clean registration has been achieved on several prints. || **15** ||  ||
 * **Wikipedia Page:**Student stayed on task and successfully edited and improved the Wikipedia site about Shiko Munakata. They demonstrated that they had gathered knowledge about the life and work of Shiko Munakata and reviews of his work by studying the provided websites. || **5** ||  ||
 * **Totals** || **25** ||  ||


 * Sources:**

The University of Chicago Library [|http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/cgibin/efts/smart/smart.pl?maker=Munakata&title=&accession=&materials=&curatorclass=&curatortype=&registrartype]=

Wikipedia about Shiko Munakata http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiko_Munakata#Quotations_of_Shik.C5.8D_Munakata

Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art http://www.lantecweb.net/shikokan/

St. Louis Art Museum http://www.stlouis.art.museum/index.aspx?id=122&exh=42

Los Angeles County Museum of Art Press Release http://www.lacma.org/press/releases/munakatapr.htm

Los Angeles County Museum of Art Collections http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=browse;dept=japan;method=artist;searchtype=3;term=Munakata%20Shiko