ABOUT BENRIDO & COLLOTYPE
コロタイプは19世紀半ばにフランスで発明された顔料を用いた写真の古典印画技法です。便利堂は1887年に創業し、1905年にコロタイプ工房を開設以来、その精緻で美しい濃淡表現を得意とする技法を用いて、日本の貴重な文化財や美術品のコロタイプ複製を多数制作してきました。一時は写真印刷の王道として世界中で重宝された技法でしたが、今では継承する工房や技術者は限られたものとなり、便利堂コロタイプ工房はその主要な継承者として日々技術の更新を行っています。
Collotype is an alternative photographic printing process invented in France in the mid-19th century. Photographic prints of the 19th century had poor image preservability, and over time gradually faded and discoloured. To compensate for this, various printing methods using pigments were devised, one of the established techniques among them was collotype. Since its establishment in 1887 Benrido began producing collotypes in 1905, working on reproductions of valuable Japanese cultural assets and art works by utilising collotype to render beautiful tones as well as the inherent archival qualities to produce fine works of art. Today, Benrido remains as one of only a few studios left in the world capable of making fine colour collotype prints.
