Conserving a Woodblock Game Board by Yoshitoshi

Posted on

A colorful 19th-century Japanese game board before conservation

The Ackland Art Museum recently loaned several objects from its collection to an exhibition by the Japanese Art Society of America, Meiji Modern: 50 Years of New Japan. In preparation for the exhibition, I treated one of the loaned objects, a large color woodblock game board by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. The game is e-sugoroku, a game similar to Snakes and Ladders with a picture board that can be based on a theme, in this case the 1877 Satsuma rebellion.

Top: Yoshitoshi’s game board in raking light before treatment

Though described as a game board, the object is composed of sheets of paper rather than board. Six sheets of paper were individually printed in multiple colors, and then they were adhered together to create a large sheet. As typical with game boards, the sheet was folded and unfolded many times for game play and storage, and the paper developed many creases and tears. At some point in its history someone mended the tears with scrap pieces of Japanese paper and starch paste, but they were mended crooked, creased and misaligned, causing the paper to warp and stretch unevenly.

A hand holding tweezers over an artwork on paper
Above: removing old mends with moisture and tweezers

 

I removed the old mends using moisture, taking care not to get the inks wet which would cause them to bleed. In the panel of the drinking rebel (who carries a decapitated head), the paper had been adhered in a horizontal fold across his legs. Removing the mend revealed broken creases, losses and tiny fragments. I mended the breaks and filled the losses with Japanese paper and wheat starch paste and inserted the fragments. Remaining losses were inpainted with watercolors.

A detail of a colorful 19th-century Japanese game board before conservation. A masked warrior in a red headdress, purple jacket, and green pants drinks from a dipper while holding a human head.
Above: The drinking rebel with heavy creases adhered in place

 

Tiny fragments of paper from a 19th-century Japanese game board.
Above: Tiny fragments

 

A detail of a colorful 19th-century Japanese game board during conservation. A masked warrior holds a human head.
Above: The unfolded crease during treatment

 

A detail of a colorful 19th-century Japanese game board after conservation. A masked warrior in a red headdress, purple jacket, and green pants drinks from a dipper while holding a human head.
Above: After treatment

 

Over time, the folds and creases had caused the paper to stretch, and repairing them meant that the object no longer lay flat but had areas rippled like a lettuce leaf. The adhesive joining the six sheets also caused uneven tensions in the paper. I humidified the game board in a humidity chamber before attempting to flatten it, but raising the humidity high enough to be effective would risk causing the sensitive inks to bleed. After careful flattening, there were still areas of rippling which threatened to become creases if pressed.

A Japanese game board in a humidification chamber during the paper conservation process.
Above: The object in the humidity chamber

And so I decided that a compromise was necessary. The object retained its rippled areas (which speak to its history of use as a game board frequently folded and unfolded), and I would secure it to a mount that would present and protect it safely, ripples and all. One of the Ackland’s skillful preparators, Joel Vandercamp, built a deep window mat that would protect the artwork from being touched or pressed by the glazing. I carefully hinged the object to the backing to allow slight adjustments and gravity to move the ripples to the safest and least distracting arrangement. I trust they will not detract from the beauty of this marvelous piece, and I’m eager to hear of its reception at Meiji Modern, the first time it has ever been exhibited.

Above: Ripples in the paper

 

A colorful 19th-century Japanese game board after conservation
Above: The game board after treatment

 

On a final note, examination of the upper left corner panel indicated that the strange gray swirl with tinges of orange may be red lead pigment that has darkened. This darkening of lead pigments is usually due to degradation, but some Japanese woodcut artists of the period purposely darkened lead pigment ink layers to create a metallic sheen. This fiery scene is the last panel of the game before victory, so perhaps it was given this special treatment. I would love to compare this print to other copies of the game to see what this panel looks like: is it orange flames or gray smoke? But at the moment, this is the only impression known to exist.

A detail of a colorful 19th-century Japanese game board during conservation. A human figure is enveloped in swirling smoke.
Above: Gray fire scene

 

If you’re in Houston, you can see this game board on exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Meiji Modern: 50 Years of New Japan runs July 7 – September 15, 2024.

 

Image credit:

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Japanese, 1839-1892, Satsuma Rebellion Picture Sugoroku Game Board, 1877, polychrome woodblock print on six sheets of paper, joined with rice starch paste, 30 7/8 × 29 1/8 in. (78.4 × 74 cm). The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 2017.13.