Located in Ibara, this workshop is dedicated to the art of Japanese calligraphy. Here, I was able to discover and learn traditional calligraphy techniques under the guidance of an expert hyôgu craftsman. After a detailed presentation of the various works they produce, it becomes clear that this is much more than just writing on paper.
The workshop specializes in the creation of kakemonos (jikusou), used to display calligraphy and paintings in tokonoma, a Japanese architectural element. They also frame (gakusou) calligraphy and paintings, stretching fabric around the framed object. In addition, they make and replace fusuma, the traditional Japanese sliding doors, as well as shōji, the wood and paper partitions that provide soft light and regulate humidity. Finally, they produce byōbus and tsuitate, movable partitions that separate spaces according to specific needs.
However, I'm going to concentrate on what I was introduced to: calligraphy. The materials used are fairly simple: fabric cut into strips, washi paper, glue and string, all specific to Japan and essential for this art form. The process begins with the creation of our calligraphy. A stick of ink (sumi) is rubbed onto the ink stone (suzuri) where water has been poured from the water container (mizusashi). Once the ideal consistency has been reached, the brush (fude) is grasped and dipped into the ink, taking care not to overload it. The first few attempts serve as a training exercise to get used to the ink and the behavior of the brush. The calligraphy paper, placed on the protective mat (shitajiki) and held in place by weights (bunchin), deforms as it absorbs the ink, but this is nothing to worry about for the moment. What's important is the balance of the characters, their proportion and elegance, elements that require a great deal of time and practice to master.
Once the calligraphy has been completed, the next step is dubbing. The purpose of this step is to flatten the paper and remove impurities.
The calligraphy paper is moistened and any irregularities smoothed out with the hand. Care must be taken not to over-moisten the paper, otherwise it will be too fragile to handle. That's what I did, and unfortunately, when I tried to peel off the sheet, the corners tore... Thankfully, though, everything's taken care of. A second layer of paper is placed on top of the calligraphy, and glue mixed with a little water is gently applied. Be careful to turn the calligraphy over so as not to cover it with the second sheet. We hang it on a panel where it will dry for half a day, and to ensure that it doesn't tear when we peel it off, we apply glue only to the edge of the paper we've added, on the calligraphy side. As the sheet we've used to reinforce our calligraphy is towards the wall, it's less likely to be damaged. Finally, we gently blow air through an opening to prevent it from sticking to the wall.
When the calligraphy has finished drying, it's time to peel it off and start the finishing process.
Depending on the surface on which you're going to hang it, of course, these finishes are different. In my case, I'm going to stick it on a cardboard base surrounded by gilding. Measurements are taken to center the calligraphy as well as possible. It's still possible to correct the balance, if it wasn't perfect (which was obviously the case for me!).
And finally, once the calligraphy is perfectly cut, we apply glue to the outer edge and lightly dampen the center.
A sincere thanks to Mr Senoo for his guidance and all the explanations he was able to give me, it was a very interesting experience! I'm delighted to have been able to do my own calligraphy!
As mentioned earlier, this store also does calligraphy restoration. I was able to witness the modern-day cleaning cycle in action. Here's how it works:
The first step is to wet the paper with water. This step is crucial as it prepares the paper by loosening surface dirt and softening the fibers for the following steps.
Next, the paper is completely immersed in hot water. This immersion deepens the cleaning process and begins to remove certain stains. The hot water also helps to open up the paper fibers, facilitating the action of the chemicals to be used later.
Once the paper has been soaked and softened, potassium permanganate is applied. This chemical is a powerful oxidizer that helps break down organic stains and discolorations. The application must be carefully timed to avoid damaging the paper.
After potassium permanganate, oxalic acid is applied. This chemical acts as a bleaching agent, neutralizing the effect of the potassium permanganate and lightening the paper. It helps to remove remaining stains and restore the paper's original color.
The final step is to rinse the paper thoroughly with hot water. This rinse removes all chemical residues from the paper, ensuring that no potentially damaging substances remain. Hot water rinsing also helps to close up the paper's fibers, strengthening its structure. These steps can be performed multiple times, until all the impurities have disappeared.
By comparison, before the use of modern chemicals, restorers used natural methods such as sun exposure, water cleaning and rice noodles to remove stains and whiten paper.
Here is another example, with larger calligraphy, to get a better idea of the different chemical reactions at work
Comments