Charles W. BARTLETT was a British painter and printmaker who was among the prominent Western artists to embrace the medium of Japanese woodblock printing. Originally trained in painting and etching at the Royal Academy in London and in Paris, he earned high acclaim for his works in watercolor and oil. Around 1913, he began traveling through India, China, and Japan, producing a vast array of sketches and watercolors that would later serve as the basis for his prints. Upon arriving in Japan in 1915, he met the influential publisher Watanabe Shozaburo, and between 1916 and 1919, he released a series of Shin-hanga prints through the Watanabe Print Shop. These works featured Japanese landscapes, temples, and streetscapes, capturing the atmosphere and light of the four seasons through a delicate color palette.
Bartlett’s Shin-hanga possess a unique character where Eastern and Western perspectives intersect, making them notable examples of a Western-born artist integrating traditional Japanese woodblock techniques into their practice. After his stay in Japan, he moved to Hawaii, where he continued his prolific artistic career.
Bartlett’s Shin-hanga possess a unique character where Eastern and Western perspectives intersect, making them notable examples of a Western-born artist integrating traditional Japanese woodblock techniques into their practice. After his stay in Japan, he moved to Hawaii, where he continued his prolific artistic career.
