版はん下した書かき

noun

block copy artist

Historical term for a person who prepared the final copy (版下) for woodblock printing, writing text or drawing designs to be carved. Rare in modern contexts; now mainly encountered in discussions of traditional printing history.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいの版はん下した書かきは、浮うき世よ絵えの制せい作さくに欠かかせない職しょく人にんだった。

  In the Edo period, the block copy artist was an indispensable craftsman in the production of ukiyo-e prints.