Korean Smoking
by Hack, Vincent (1950s)

	Artist:	Hack, Vincent (1950s)
	Title:	Korean Smoking
	Series:
	Date of first edition?:	Not set
	Publisher (first edition)?:	Unknown — 不明
	Publisher (this edition)?:	Unknown — 不明
	Medium (first edition):	Woodblock
	Medium (this edition):	Woodblock
	Format (first edition):	Oban
	Format (this edition):	Oban
	DB artwork code:	41159
	Notes (first edition)?:
	Notes (this edition)?:	The following information was taken from the original web listing of this artwork. Note that there may be some inaccuracies: Sunday, 10 February 2008 Shin Hanga: Korean Smoking Artist: 'Hack' Format: Dai oban tate-e silver mica ground: 14"" x 9.75" approx Subject: We can discover nothing about this artist, who produced only a handful of prints in the Jacoulet 'style' probably around the 1950's. Date: c.1950's Condition: Full size. Minor marks and flaws. Generally fine state. Colour: Fine Impression: Fine with mica background Estimated Value: £200 - £300
	Artist Bio:	From the WISCONSIN ALUMNUS.: THERE'S NOT ONE American who has ever become a master craftsman in the ancient Japanese art of color wood-block printing. But Major Vincent Hack, '36, Falls Church, Va., has probably progressed as far toward this goal as any of his countrymen -and in another eight years he hopes to attain that high rank. It was back in 1947 that Maj. Hack, a medical artist, arrived in Tokyo. He immediately searched out a wood- block artist, Hiroshi Yoshida. "Teach me," the major asked, "to make wood-block color prints." Yoshida referred Major Hack to a wood-block cutter, the cutter referred him to a printer, the printer referred him Major and Mrs. Hack look over some of his fine color printing. 36 to another printer. It was, the major realized, the old run- around. He went back to Yoshida, and after a year of per- severance, won an offer of help as a result of a favor rendered. He spent the next six months learning color analysis. A Japanese wood-block artist analyzes the picture he wishes to reproduce to decide the colors he needs. He plans one wood- cut for each color. He may plan two woodcuts or 30, gain- ing range and subtlety as he increases the number. Then the proper design is painstakingly carved on each block- each swirl of color is duplicated precisely in wood. Next, a printer brushes the proper colors on the blocks and rubs a specially-made paper against each block in turn, varying intensity of the colors by varying his pressure. Some author- ities call the Japanese wood-block art the world's highest developed color printing. After Maj. Hack learned color analysis, he still had a long way to go. He located a master cutter, and by dint of more lengthy persuasion, extracted from him a promise: "You will be a No. 1 American cutter." The master cutter required Maj. Hack to hold an egg against the handle of the cutting knife. If the egg broke, it proved he was not using a delicate touch. For economy, the cutter furnished only rotten eggs. After breaking a few, Maj. Hack brought his own, fresh ones. Before leaving Japan in 1951, Maj. Hack saw his prints hanging in Japanese exhibitions. Some Japanese viewers thought they were seeing a new school of wood-block print- ing. Maj. Hack explains that he gives the faces of his sub- jects more characterization than the Japanese do. Maj. Hack is now with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington. He spends many off-duty hours with his cherry-wood blocks. It requires about eight months from conception of a painting to completion of prints.