3 ms·

Hokusai Moyo Gafu: an album of dyeing patterns

170 points by fanf2 1y ago

srean 1y ago
I never knew Hokusai had interest in these. Does anyone know if he had seen any Islamic tiling art ? Or for that matter if Escher had seen any of his. Group theory / symmetry runs deep through these. One [0] of the circular ones made me think of braid(group)s. Not sure what the * operator would be in that case. Speaking of braid groups Richeson had a very interesting blog post on the braid like groups of maypole dances. Let me find and submit separately (spoiling a Hokusai story with another story, no matter how interesting, would be a personal sacrilege). Found it [1][2]. [0] https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1899550/1/10/ https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1899550/1/10/ [1]https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44225324 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44225324 [2]https://divisbyzero.com/2009/05/04/the-maypole-braid-group/ https://divisbyzero.com/2009/05/04/the-maypole-braid-group/
- bradly 1y ago
  About halfway through there is a pattern depicting birds behind a chain link fence that he did possibly the same year the chain link fence was invented in the United Kingdom.
  - srean 1y ago
    So Banksy of his time to do that.
uwagar 1y ago
is it the same hokusai of the giant wave fame?
- Hoasi 1y ago
  Yes.
- xrd 1y ago
  And, who also happened to invent the comic art form called manga. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokusai_Manga https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokusai_Manga
PaulHoule 1y ago
The Metropolitan Museum has books of fabric samples for kimonos with colorful and complex patterns but unfortunately I could only find pictures of kimonos: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/354838 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/354838 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=kimono+japan&era=A.D.+1800-1900 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=kimono+jap... People had kimonos with crazy prints throughout the Heian, warring states and Tokugawa periods.
- 0xbadcafebee 1y ago
  Nice! I haven't seen these before, woodblock prints depicting foreigners in Japan: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=kimono+japan&era=A.D.+1800-1900&showOnly=withImage%7CopenAccess&offset=40 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=kimono+jap... I think this is my favorite, Foreign Business Establishment in Yokohama: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/73415 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/73415
Beijinger 1y ago
Is there a PDF Version for download?
- pvg 1y ago
  If you google the title it seems to find some more downloady variants.
  - Beijinger 1y ago
    Mostly is unrelated stuff. An original would be available: https://www.ebay.com/itm/126788233431 https://www.ebay.com/itm/126788233431
- bradly 1y ago
  Yes. https://dl.ndl.go.jp/en/pid/1899550/1/2 https://dl.ndl.go.jp/en/pid/1899550/1/2
ossicones 1y ago
Does anyone know how are these patterns were intended to be applied? It seems like they might be block printed, but the fact that they're called "dyeing patterns" makes me think of some kind of resist or shibori.
- dole 1y ago
  I was curious myself, so I'd think resist printing such as [0] Katazome or [1] Rōketsuzome, using wax wheels. I feel like shibori would be tough for pattern accuracy but considering the craftsmanship I wouldn't be surprised to be wrong. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katazome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katazome [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dketsuzome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dketsuzome I have a very similar tattered thread-bound book of these style of kimono patterns at home but I don't think they're from Hokusai.
matt-alive 1y ago
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123sereusername 1y ago
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170 points by fanf2 1y ago

I never knew Hokusai had interest in these. Does anyone know if he had seen any Islamic tiling art ? Or for that matter if Escher had seen any of his. Group theory / symmetry runs deep through these. One [0] of the circular ones made me think of braid(group)s. Not sure what the * operator would be in that case. Speaking of braid groups Richeson had a very interesting blog post on the braid like groups of maypole dances. Let me find and submit separately (spoiling a Hokusai story with another story, no matter how interesting, would be a personal sacrilege). Found it [1][2]. [0] https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1899550/1/10/ https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/1899550/1/10/ [1]https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44225324 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44225324 [2]https://divisbyzero.com/2009/05/04/the-maypole-braid-group/ https://divisbyzero.com/2009/05/04/the-maypole-braid-group/

bradly 1y ago
About halfway through there is a pattern depicting birds behind a chain link fence that he did possibly the same year the chain link fence was invented in the United Kingdom.
- srean 1y ago
  So Banksy of his time to do that.

uwagar 1y ago

is it the same hokusai of the giant wave fame?

Hoasi 1y ago
Yes.
xrd 1y ago
And, who also happened to invent the comic art form called manga. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokusai_Manga https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokusai_Manga

PaulHoule 1y ago

The Metropolitan Museum has books of fabric samples for kimonos with colorful and complex patterns but unfortunately I could only find pictures of kimonos: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/354838 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/354838 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=kimono+japan&era=A.D.+1800-1900 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=kimono+jap... People had kimonos with crazy prints throughout the Heian, warring states and Tokugawa periods.

0xbadcafebee 1y ago
Nice! I haven't seen these before, woodblock prints depicting foreigners in Japan: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=kimono+japan&era=A.D.+1800-1900&showOnly=withImage%7CopenAccess&offset=40 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search?q=kimono+jap... I think this is my favorite, Foreign Business Establishment in Yokohama: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/73415 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/73415

Beijinger 1y ago

Is there a PDF Version for download?

pvg 1y ago
If you google the title it seems to find some more downloady variants.
- Beijinger 1y ago
  Mostly is unrelated stuff. An original would be available: https://www.ebay.com/itm/126788233431 https://www.ebay.com/itm/126788233431
bradly 1y ago
Yes. https://dl.ndl.go.jp/en/pid/1899550/1/2 https://dl.ndl.go.jp/en/pid/1899550/1/2

ossicones 1y ago

Does anyone know how are these patterns were intended to be applied? It seems like they might be block printed, but the fact that they're called "dyeing patterns" makes me think of some kind of resist or shibori.

dole 1y ago
I was curious myself, so I'd think resist printing such as [0] Katazome or [1] Rōketsuzome, using wax wheels. I feel like shibori would be tough for pattern accuracy but considering the craftsmanship I wouldn't be surprised to be wrong. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katazome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katazome [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dketsuzome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dketsuzome I have a very similar tattered thread-bound book of these style of kimono patterns at home but I don't think they're from Hokusai.

matt-alive 1y ago

[dead]

123sereusername 1y ago

[dead]