How Fishermen's Bragging Rights Gave Birth To Fine Art

In 19th-century Japan, fishermen found a foolproof way to record trophy catches. The method was known as gyotaku, or "fish rubbing," and allowed fishermen to print inked fish onto paper — creating a permanent record of their size. They used a nontoxic sumi-e ink, a black ink traditionally used in both writing and painting which could be easily washed off. Once the print was made, the fish was either released, if it was still alive, or sold at market.
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