The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art debuted “Bird and Blossom,” an exhibition of woodblock prints depicting simple relationships in the natural world, on Jan. 24. Curated by Eleanor Pschirrer-West, the exhibit brings to the limelight the masterful techniques and rich histories of woodblock prints. They are a collection of kachō-e — flower and bird pictures —  including various species of flora and fauna, prompting intense observation of realism and stylization found in the minute details. “Bird and Blossom” highlights the evolution of prints in Japan from the Edo and Meiji eras into the twentieth century.

Defining the 19th century of Japan, the Edo and Meiji periods gave birth to the woodblock print movement, ukiyo-e. This style was defined by its “floating world” subject matter, which focused on entertainment and pleasure, such as mythology and courtesans, or in this case, the beauty of the natural world. Woodblock art of this time took influence from internal styles as well as Chinese painting.

The exhibition features artist Utagawa Hiroshige who focuses his style on ukiyo-e, bold line work and colorful rendering. While some birds depicted carry recognizable symbolism, Hiroshige’s “Canary and Clematis” features a glimpse into the changing history of Japan as canaries were introduced by Dutch traders, signally Western impact in the nation, according to Pschirrer-West.

Coined in 1915 by print exporter Shozaburo Watanabe, shin-hanga, or new prints, stylistically shifted the medium to include more perspective and depth of field in comparison to the flat nature of the ukiyo-e style. The movement as a whole was influenced by the import and wide availability of Western art in Japan. Artist Ohara Koson’s work is heavily featured in the exhibition, and his life encapsulates the cultural shifts of the shin-hanga movement. Contrasting the older ukiyo-e prints, the shin-hanga movement featured in “Bird and Blossom” displays the stylistic and cultural shifts taking place in twentieth century Japan.

“His life lines up with the really large changes that were taking place in Japanese society during the Meiji Restoration,” Pschirrer-West said. “It was a period of really rapid industrialization, centralization of the government, increased Western influence, and empire building.”

When viewing the ukiyo-e and shin-hanga styles side by side, the progression of the bird and flower prints becomes incredibly prevalent, with a changing Japanese society reflected in the simple subject matter.

Although immensely detailed, the works featured in “Bird and Blossom” are not paintings, but rather prints. Pschirrer-West aims to educate her audience on the varied techniques utilized to bring these pieces to life. With close observation, the viewer will notice a wood grain pattern in the background of the prints due to the carved wooden blocks that are inked and pressed into the paper. What is left on the page is the uncarved portion of the block and the print built layer by layer, accumulating into the elaborate final print.

For this purpose, some of the prints uses a gradient technique achieved through the wiping of ink on a block before pressing or slope carved directly into the wood grading the final image. Under close eye, inscribed lines can be viewed within the print, creating an embossment where ink can not touch, preserving the pure white of the page. This technique is called karazuri.

Another technique to make prints found in the exhibit is kirazuri which uses crushed mica.

“Atop the print ‘Birds at Pea Vines and Bamboo’ [by Rakuzan Tsuchiya] there is kirazuri, which is a technique to add a sparkling effect by adding crushed mica, which is a shimmering mineral, and rubbing it into the surface of the print,” Pschirrer-West said. “It adds a lot of visual interest, but you have to look just right because the light needs to be hitting the mica.”

“Bird and Blossom” was made possible by a bequest of prints from Rudolph and Louise Langer who were active members of the museum during the early 1900s. They bequeathed their collection of almost 1,300 artwork to the Madison Art Center in 1968, building the foundation for the current museum’s permanent collection.

The collection of Japanese prints within the museum’s permanent collection reflects the ties of Western society to Japan during the twentieth century. Pschirrer-West commented on the uniqueness of the exhibit and its intention. 

“We’ve been thinking a lot about institutional transparency, and part of that to me is showing parts of our collection that don’t necessarily fit with what people expect from our name, which is the Museum of Contemporary Art,” Pschirrer-West said. “These are not, typical by anyone’s definition, contemporary works, but they are a part of this first gift to the museum that has shaped how we’ve collected works ever since.”

The “Bird and Blossom” exhibition is open to the public until April 6.