With the establishment of “Tie Tao Zuo of Rongbaozhai Art Gallery" as the starting point, the woodblock printing of Rongbaozhai Art Gallery has been developed for 123 years and was included in the List of the First Batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016. Different from the ordinary printmaking technology, the industrial printing technology and the previous Chinese block printing and inscription rubbing, the unique woodblock printing of Rongbaozhai Art Gallery can present distinctive rich layers, brushworks and details which can not be presented by ordinary copying works, opening up a brand new way for spreading and viewing Chinese printing and calligraphic art. The birth of every woodblock printing requires whole-hearted cooperation by the experienced craftsmen. Only by the processes of delineating, sculpturing and printing can an almost real woodblock printing be produced. The copying speed is not the primary purpose in the production of woodblock printing. With the complicated technology and the use of equally precious paper, ink and color as the raw material, woodblock printing strives to reproduce the appearance and romantic charm of the original work. Taking the woodblock printing “Ascending the River at Qingming Festival” of Rongbaozhai Art Gallery as the example, such work had been block printed for more than 2500 sets and all were completed in 8 years; while for the pinnacle in woodblock printing, i.e. the hand-rolled silk scroll “Han Xizai Evening Banquet”, it lasted for 20 years from the planning to completion. Due to the much manpower, material resource and time and the complicated process, the woodblock printing of Rongbaozhai Art Gallery usually is only used to reproduce important works made by famous persons.

This Exhibition “Reproduction——Woodblock Printings of Rongbaozhai Art Gallery for 120 Years”, with nearly one hundred pieces of scroll printings, printed pictures and albums of paintings in different ages, themes, styles and sizes as the basis and in combination with rich words, pictures and image files, not only panoramically presents the situation of development and heritance of woodblock printing of Rongbaozhai Art Gallery, but also demonstrates the different poses and expressions of Chinese arts.

Curator：Shen Chen