Introducing OPCS, the art of hyōgu and myself...

I’ve been a practising hyōgushi now for more than 40 years; 11 years training at the Usami Shōkakudō studio in Kyoto, followed by 6 years as Chief Conservator for Eastern Pictorial Art at the British Museum. OPCS was established in Chelmsford, England in 1986 and is run along traditional Japanese lines using traditional Japanese conservation techniques, tools and materials.

So what’s this blog all about? I was 20 when I left England for Japan in 1966 and 24 when I joined the Usami Shōkakudō. I’m now about to enter my 66th year and thought it probably time to set down some of the things I’ve learnt as a hyogushi and some of the experiences connected with the hyogu tradition. A few years ago that would have meant writing a book, either a conservation manual or an autobiography. Now, though, we have blogs, and that seems to fit in well with what I have in mind for this one. The technical side of things will be dealt with (drawing from several large notebooks as well as articles and papers already published) and there will also be sections on the crafts allied to the hyogu tradition – crafts such as papermaking, dyeing, weaving etc. There’ll also be personal accounts of my work over the years, meetings with specialists and some of the problems and pleasures that might face anyone thinking of embarking on the hyogu tradition.

Blogs are great because they can so easily be added to, changed or corrected; they’re also great because they’re so accessible to a worldwide readership who can comment, ask questions or share info. One of the drawbacks though is that there’s no handy index where you can search out something specific (though that’s partly alleviated through the use of the blog’s internal search engine at the top of the page, or by following relevant links within individual features). Other drawbacks are that I can’t easily use Japanese characters, or even (easily) use accents when using Romanised Japanese. Hyogu and hyogushi for example should actually be Hyōgu and hyōgushi, where the ō is lengthened in pronunciation. So, I hope you’ll bear with me on these shortcomings - I might be able to sort them out as we go along and meanwhile hope that what you find here will be of some use and of some interest.

Images: Earliest known image of a hyōgushi

Earliest known image of a hyōgushi and his assistant at work. Japanese, early 14th century

Hyōgu and the hyōgushi

The art of restoring and mounting works of art on paper and silk has been practiced in the Far East for nearly two millennia. Originating first in China at the beginning of the Christian era, conservation techniques and materials then spread to Japan where they developed into the refined art that we now know as hyogu.

The word hyogu means a picture or piece of calligraphy lined with paper and mounted as a hanging scroll. The words hyogushi, hyoguya and kyoji refer to the mounter/conservators of Japan who not only repair and mount hanging scrolls but also conserve other forms of pictorial art such as the handscroll, screens, sliding doors, murals etc.

The hyogushi of today is required to undergo a long and strict period of training. During this time he or she learns not only the skills which will enable him to conserve scrolls, screens etc, but also the knowledge and sensitivity required to present them in their correct context. He must know the appropriate style of mount used for any subject and be aware, for example, of the meanings associated with the patterned silks used with such mounts. He or she must also know how and where an object will be used as this will often dictate the materials and techniques employed in its conservation.

Like the Western bookbinder, the hyogushi is responsible for objects which must be both functional and aesthetically pleasing. The objects he is conserving are made to be opened and closed, rolled and unrolled and, apart from the demands of conservation and aesthetics, the hyogushi must always bear in mind that they are to be constantly handled and not merely looked at.