author
F. Morley (Frank Morley) Fletcher
1866–1949
Best known for helping bring Japanese color woodblock printing to Western artists, this English painter, printmaker, and teacher left a lasting mark on art education on both sides of the Atlantic. His writing made complex craft methods approachable, and his prints showed the quiet beauty of the process in practice.
1 Audiobook
Wood-Block Printing A Description of the Craft of Woodcutting and Colour Printing Based on the Japanese Practice
by F. Morley (Frank Morley) Fletcher
About the author
Born in Whiston, Lancashire, on April 25, 1866, Frank Morley Fletcher trained in London and Paris before building a career as both an artist and a teacher. He is most often remembered as a painter and printmaker who helped introduce Japanese-style color woodblock printing to Western audiences.
Fletcher taught at several important art institutions, including the Slade School of Fine Art in London, where he became especially influential as an instructor. His book Wood-Block Printing: A Description of the Craft of Woodcutting and Colour Printing Based on the Japanese Practice helped explain these methods clearly for English-speaking artists and students, which gave his ideas a long reach beyond the classroom.
Later, he worked in the United States and was associated with the Santa Barbara School of the Arts. Alongside his teaching and writing, he continued making his own prints and paintings, combining technical care with a strong feeling for landscape and design. He died in 1949, but his role in shaping Western interest in Japanese woodblock technique remains central to his reputation.