Samurai kabuto - woodblock print

This woodcut print depicts a samurai kabuto, based on a kabuto gifted to James I by Tokugawa Hidetada in 1613, marking the start of trade relations between England and Japan. It is currently held in the Tower of London.

The creation of this print combined both nations differing approaches to woodcut printmaking. I used both Western gouges and Japanese mokuhanga tools to carve the design, used an oil-based ink made in the UK, and printed the design onto washi made in Japan. Subject matter and process intertwine, creating a woodcut which not only symbolises unity between two cultures, but which also manifests their distinctness from one another.

Cranfield traditional oil-based ink on Awagami Factory Okawara Pro 70gsm washi

Measures approximately 39cm x 49cm

This design was carved into a block of Birch ply.

My woodcut prints are all handmade, crafted with traditional processes. This means that each print is unique, and therefore the print you receive will not be the exact one shown in the photograph.