woodblock print

OAB Definition

print pulled from a relief matrix that has been carved from a plank of wood to produce a whole page or, more commonly, a two-page spread.

Woodblock printing is the earliest recorded printing technique and was developed in China. Material printed commercially from woodblocks was sold as early as 762 CE, but woodblock prints on fabric date from the third century.

Woodblock printing was the dominant printing technique in East Asia from its introduction through the 19^th century. There are also examples of its comparatively short adoption in other areas, including North Africa from the 10^th to 14^th century (see tarsh), and Europe for a few decades after the introduction of the Gutenberg press (see block book).

Linked Terms