Ryohei Tanaka

Biography and career

Japanese printmaker best known for his etchings of rural landscapes and traditional Japanese architecture.

Style, subjects and techniques

Although listed among these artists, his career is primarily associated with etching; it is important to distinguish his usual technique from mezzotint.

The mezzotint technique

Mezzotint is an intaglio printmaking technique capable of producing deep blacks and smooth gradations of light. The surface of a metal plate is worked to create different tonal values. Each artist’s relationship to the technique must be assessed individually.

To learn more about the tools and methods involved, visit the sections on the history and the mezzotint process.