Posted by Gary G. on April 30, 1997 at 12:56:16:
In Reply to: COPIES posted by Lawerence Oaks on April 28, 1997 at 18:40:04:
: I FREQUENTLY RUN ACROSS PRINTS THAT LOOK VERY GOOD
: BUT THAT I SUSPECT TO BE COPIES OR LATE PRINTINGS
: BECAUSE THEY ARE SO CLEAN ETC. IS THERE A BOOK OR
: INFORMATION AVAILABLE WHICH GIVES ADVISE ON DETECTING
: COPIES OR FORGERIES?
I don't know of any books, Larry. I have found that the
more original prints that you examine, the better equipped
you are to spot the reproductions and facsimiles.
Experience, then, is the best teacher. Reproductions with few
exceptions are quite inferior in quality. Lesser craftsman
created the prints using inferior dyes on cheaper paper.
Once you have trained your eye to recognise the rich blend
of talent and materials inherent in fine Japanese woodblock
printmaking, the copies stand out as lifeless.
I don't believe that the commercial nature of traditional woodblock
printmaking had as its goal to make the fine art objects that we treasure,
however, when you combine the talents of 4 gifted artisans (publisher,
artist, block carver & printer), it just happens. Similarly, a quartet
of untalented and unispired craftsmen will create a bell that voices a
dull thud.
As a rule, the dyes sink deeper into the paper as time goes on, so one
should be able to see ample saturation of the pigments from the reverse.
If you have access to a refernce with a known original of a print
that is in question, you can compare them line for line, and in many
cases (not all) they should be the same. Since reproductions and copies
were created for a less descriminating and less affluent clientel,
exact copies were not required or cost-effective.
Finally, the seals and signatures are almost always copied as well, so
you can not rely on that information to determine authenticity.
I will keep my eye out for references that go into detail on the subject
and post the info. Perhaps someone has a favorite book that you and I
missed and will share it with us in "CHATS".