Rubbings: An art of Documentation

Prashant Phirangi

February 2021

Art & Literature

ABSTRACT:

‘Rubbings’ is an ancient practice of art, which probably may have had its origin in what is today known as China. Practices of rubbings have become precious source of information as well as documentation into the history, both natural and cultural aspects as well. The people from different parts of the world have seen the medium and how It allowed for realistic reproduction and sharing of both historical data and art, creating an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and ideas leading to the spread of language, religion, art practices across the civilizations in South East-Asia.

Key words:Rubbings, Documentation,cultural,information,reproduction.

TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: ‘Rubbings: An Art of Documentation’

‘Rubbings’ is an ancient practice of art, which probably may have had its origin in what is today known as China. Practices of rubbings have become precious source of information as well as documentation into the history, both natural and cultural aspects as well. The people from different parts of the world have seen the medium and how It allowed for realistic reproduction and sharing of both historical data and art, creating an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge and ideas leading to the spread of language, religion, art practices across the civilizations in South East-Asia.

Basically idea of rubbings was invented and practiced to preserve the texture, designs and the text which was on the walls.

‘Crane in Landscape’-19^th century rubbings.

Early days Kings/rulers used to keep the records and instructions/rules to the public, by using carved text on wooden plank, stone stela and written on cloth. In later phase, the invention of paper becomes an ideal material to circulate same in a larger perspective. The inscriptions been made on wooden plank / piece of stone stela and were taken down in a simple process of carefully inking (Printing colour) the surfaces in direct contact with moist paper placed directly on them. The technique is by placing the paper and rubbing and dabbing at the backside of it will give the impression of it, which has been taken multiple edition of it. The paper made them not only easy to handle also for copying them to circulate instructions/rules among them. Not only the texts even the rubbings of designs on bronze vessels, jade objects, ceramics, tomb bricks or roof tiles, has been taken for the references. Due to the loss and deterioration of many original stones through the centuries, rubbings frequently are the sole remaining evidence of a significant portion of China’s and South East-Asian artistic and cultural heritage.

If we move Further East, In Japan, the practice has proved to be an advantage for scientists, trying to piece together the natural history. Conservation biologists have been able to assess the extent of diversity that existed in the seas of Japan from the rubbings taken by Japanese fishermen during the late 16^th century.

Gyotaku rubbings-Japan

Fishermen would often used to take the records of their catch by marking them or keeping note for the specifying species and later they started making rubbings, either by applying ink directly to the fish and transferring the inked fish by placing on to the washi-paper and the moistened paper will absorb the ink and leave the impression of the fish. The impression on the paper brings out the details fish with specific identifiable species. Their anatomical accuracy, and the approach, resulting from the direct ‘printing’ makes these rubbings extremely useful educational tools which could help conservationists track the rise and decline of threatened and extinct aquatic populations while allowing them to fill the gaps in existing data sets on these known species.

Even though between artistic and cultural aspects of rubbings had an immense trails been done on some of temple walls, to get the accurate designs and details they have tried with the rubbings and kept the impression for the record. The practice   tradition of taking rubbings from the temples, still found in a both in Cambodia and Thailand. The country like India which is known for mythological images, we see the skills on beautiful carving on the stone panels by sculptors who were involved in the construction of this magnificent temple, we are also able to identify the ties it shared with the neighboring

‘Battle scene’ 20^th century – rubbing Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia

Indian mainland, through strong marine linkages and trade. They certainly seem to bear a unique resemblance with the artistic traditions of India. The architectural representation in Indian form expressed in the original concept which had taken firm root in south-Asia and become part it.

While the tradition of taking rubbings that flourished in China allowed us to piece together the history of its religious-cultural landscape, there however is a lack in information on the tradition that had existed in the countries like Thailand and Cambodia. Copies made from some of the ancient rubbings are kept in museum or in personal collection. It also appears there are limited numbers of original pieces with museum collections and will help in architectural conservation and restoration damaged by human and natural calamity. Later phase in late 19^th century, the production of rubbings was certainly not limited to East-Asia or South-east Asia. It has expanded to United States and Syria. Especially the technique has influenced and inspired by Dada artist and surrealist . the surrealist artist used the methods and expressed the on paper using pencil / charcoal rubbings for their creative approach. Thus rubbings like most other artistic practices evolved into new form of creative expression.

Referances:

1). Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39899Bujar   d, M., Xi, J., & Liddell, P.

2) The Heritage of the Temples, a Heritage in Stone: An Overview of Beijing’s Religious Epigraphy. China Perspectives, 22–33. doi: https://www.jstor.org/stable/24052851

3) Chinese Rubbings Collection. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://library.harvard.edu/collections/chinese-rubbings- collection

4) Elisseeff, V. (2000). The silk roads highways of culture and commerce highways of culture and commerce. Paris: UNESCO