美人画ポスターに見る戦前期日本の製版印刷技術史

抄録

In prewar Japan, posters were produced using the advanced technology of the prepress and press of the day. In particular, a marked tendency was observed in posters on women. The oldest existing poster in color lithography was produced in 1894, it advertised cigarettes, was small and utilized colors within single figures. In 1905, the size of the posters was enlarged to approximately 90 cm × 60 cm, and were approximately 20. Simultaneously, the printing technique was lithography; therefore, the platemakers decided how many colors or printings were utilized in the original picture. Consequently, producing posters with added layers of color requires considerable work and high-quality techniques. In 1919, Japan imported the photomechanical processes that are theoretically employed today. However, color films were not available; therefore the platemakers had no choice but to add layers of color on their own. The processes of platemaking depended on the platemakers' abilities. During the fifteen-year war, a variety of posters were produced, which meant that people at the time enjoyed a rich culture of posters.