woodcut

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Print made by a woodblock in which a picture or design has been cut in relief. Areas that are intended to be white are cut away leaving the raised remainder to catch and transfer the ink, which is usually black. The woodcut is the oldest method of printing, invented in China in the 5th century AD. In the Middle Ages woodcuts became popular in Europe, initially for printing playing cards and block books, and later for more artistic applications, as in the work of German artist Albrecht Dürer.

Multicoloured woodblock prints were developed in Japan in the mid-18th century. In England William Morris and others revived the technique in the 19th century, and the German expressionists exploited its strong impact in the early 20th century.

Wood engraving is an allied but finer technique, the cuts being made across the end-grain of a block. The English artist Thomas Bewick was one of the first exponents of wood engraving.

Initially the sun and moon had human faces, but they were removed when the flag was updated in 1962. The flag is said to express the hope that Nepal will endure as long as the sun and the moon. The blue border symbolizes peace. Effective date: 16 December 1962. >>