Yasutomo Bamboo Baren

This smooth, light rubbing pad is made of bamboo bark. Used for wood block printing, the strong grain of its tough surface allows the artist to convey pressure firmly and efficiently to the paper. Its origins can be traced to use in traditional Japanese woodcut printing or Ukiyo-e, a genre of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings produced between the 17th and 20th centuries. This baren measures 4½" (114 mm) in diameter.