HICA

The Institute‘s Paper Collection


20.7.2017


Tagebuch

Diary


The HICA’s paper collection was accumulated approximately forty years ago, and contains classical paper types of superb quality. All the papers have been handmade at selected craft workshops in the Far East. The number of these workshops, and their skill levels, have steadily declined over recent decades. As auctions in China and Japan are showing, traditional handmade papers are highly coveted nowadays, and difficult to find. The HICA’s collection offers one of the few opportunities to purchase papers of this kind.

The paper sheets are suitable for painting, calligraphy, drawing, art-printing, and for use in general arts and crafts. The purpose of the collection was to make available different types of top-quality handmade paper, in order to use them for restoring valuable works of art.

The papers have been stored at the HICA under carefully chosen conditions ensuring constant levels of both humidity and temperature.

The collection’s paper types are divided into three major groupings:

a)Xuan papers (宣紙)

b)Kozo und Broussonetia papers

c)Special papers

On a):
Xuan paper is the quintessential variety of Chinese paper. It is used principally for calligraphy and ink painting. The traditional production technique for Xuan paper has meanwhile been officially recognised in China as part of the nation’s cultural heritage.

The sheets are available up to a size of 246 cm in length and 123 cm in width. There are naturally white (38 types) and coloured versions (76 types). In all, there are 16,180 sheets of paper.

On b):

The Japan papers fall into the category of Kozo und Broussonetia papers. They were produced specifically for me to scientific standards as pH-neutral types.
The sheets are available up to a size of 140 cm in length and 78 cm in width. There are naturally white (7 types) and coloured versions (8 types). In all, there are 5,450 sheets of paper.

On c)

These are special papers outside groups a) and b) based on particular materials and production techniques. In all, there are 31 types of paper and 3,738 sheets


If you are interested in purchase, please contact me  (haiyenhua@icoud.com).

I will be happy to provide additional information.