George Burchett and Uchideshi: Difference between pages

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There is more to traditional Japanese [[Tattoo|tattoo]] besides beautiful body art, and that includes the complex relationship between the [[Horimono]] master and his apprentice. While modern tattoo techniques have undermined the old '''tebori culture''', it is still an important part of tattoo history.
|-
! colspan="2" | ''George Burchett''
|-
! colspan="2" | [[File:George_Burchett-1.jpg|100px|George Burchett-1.jpg]]
|-
! Birth Date
| 23 August 1872
|-
! Birth Place
| Brighton, East Sussex
|-
! Death Date
| 1953
|-
! Occupation
| tattoo artist
|-
! Website
| none
|}


'''George 'Professor' Burchett''' was born George Burchett-Davis on August 23rd, [[1872]] in the seaside town of Brighton, East Sussex. He possessed no education beyond the age of twelve, as he was expelled from school for tattooing his classmates. Aged just thirteen, he joined the Royal Navy against his parents' wishes, getting his grandmother to sign the guardian's forms. As a deck-hand aboard the HMS Vincent he traveled to all parts of the British Empire: the West Indies, the Mediterranean, Africa, the Indian subcontinent and the Far East. On board he began to tattoo constantly, his skill developing as other sailors paid him to tattoo them. He also experienced firsthand the famous tattoos of Asia, with the master artists of Japan and Java particularly impressing him.
== Contents ==


However, the rigorous disciplined life of the Navy did not suit George and he jumped ship whilst on shore leave in Jaffa. After a brief spell as a tattoo artist in the city of Jerusalem, he left the Holy Land aboard a Spanish merchantman and continued to travel the world, this time a fugitive from the British military (at the time the punishment for desertion was a lengthy spell aboard a prison ship). However, after many years of wandering the high seas on various ship's companies, George yearned to see his homeland once again, and after a twelve year absence, George Burchett as he was now known (he dropped the 'Davis' in the hope it would prevent him being traced by the Admiralty), returned to England.
# [[#Uchideshi|Uchideshi]]
# [[#Hori|Hori]]
# [[#Ane-San|Ane-San]]
# [[#Related_Articles|Related Articles]]


On his arrival he set up a cobbler's shop in South London and tattooed in his spare time. In London he met the legendary English tattooists Tom Riley and Sutherland MacDonald, the former passing on much of his experience to the young George. After a year of various odd-jobs and backroom tattooing, in [[1898]] George married [[Edith Burchett]] and set up home in Bow. There, in the working class 'East End', word of his tattooing prowess spread among the factory workers, dockers and sailors of the area, in addition to the multitude of travelers, transients and seamen from all corners of the world. Soon afterwards, in [[1900]], he gave up repairing shoes and began tattooing full time in a studio on Mile End Road.
== Uchideshi ==
Traditional craftsmen (including tattoo artists) historically learned their trade by undergoing ''deshiiri'', a process in which one formally becomes an apprentice to an older master. An '''''Uchi-deshi''''' is an apprentice who lives with his master, a horishi and carries out menial chores and housework in addition to his studies. The uchideshi receives no payment, and pays no money to his master until after he has completed his apprenticeship; however, he receives board, clothing and food during his time as a student. After a five year term of training, the pupil works independently for one year and gives the income from this year to his or her master(s) to express gratitude. This year of service is called '''''oreiboko'''''.


Burchett became a firm favorite among the wealthy upper class of England, and Royalty too. Despite keen competition from Riley and MacDonald, Burchett could count among his customers the 'Sailor King' HRH George V, and innumerable 'leisured people of money' as he described them, from all over Europe and the Empire. One of his more unusual projects was of course [[The Great Omi]]. However, he never forgot his humble background and throughout his career the vast majority of his clientele were enlisted men from the Forces.
The Uchi-deshi system first arose among the skilled craftsmen of Edo during the mid-18th century, along with the lineage nomenclature that still exists today. Upon retirement, a master would bestow upon his apprentice his professional name, but with the suffix 'The Second' added to it. This carries on ad infinitum i.e. "The Third, The Fourth etc" with successive generations. This hereditary naming system applies to almost all artisan professions in Japan, including tattoo artists.
Passing on his business to two of his sons, George retired to the countryside in [[1942]], aged seventy. However, with the Second War in full flight the demand for tattoo work was so great that he was persuaded to return to work, and did not stop tattooing - even after the War ended - until he died suddenly on Good Friday in [[1953]], on his way to tattoo a client.


In addition to being a skilled technician, Burchett was also an innovator and creative; he constantly designed new tattoos from his vast experience of worldwide travel, incorporating African, Japanese and SE Asian motifs into his work. He purchased a tattoo machine from Tom Riley (whose machines were in fact a modification of the American devices of Samuel O'Reilly) and changed it to suit his own style of tattooing. He also proved to be very popular with women who wanted tattoos, from working class factory girls to society ladies; he made himself many friends (and a fortune) from his self-invented brand of cosmetic tattooing.
In modern times, the Uchi-deshi is a rapidly diminishing phenomenon as more students undergo part-time apprenticeships. These apprentices are therefore able to support themselves with other part-time jobs and maintain homes of their own, commuting to their masters' workplaces instead.


Tattoo artist [[Lyle Tuttle]] has a large collection of George Burchett's and, his son, Leslie Burchett's work at his museum.  
== Hori ==
Coming from the Japanese verb ''horu'' meaning to "dig" or "engrave", '''''Hori''''' or '''''Horishi''''' is an honorific meaning "trained artist", ''shi'' meaning "master" or "teacher", given by the Horimono master to his Uchi-deshi upon the completion of their formal apprenticeship. 'Hori' and then the rest of the name was usually indicative of the region in which the artist worked. Often, the Hori name is passed from one generation of artist to another. ie: Horiyoshi III.


== References ==
Some people use the word ''Irezumi-shi''. In the Edo Period, the word ''Horimonoshi'' was the most common way to refer to a tattoo artist, to distinguish him from the Horishi who carved woodblocks for Ukiyo-e prints. It is generally considered normal to add the honorific suffix, ''san'' ("Mr. Tattoo Artist") to Horishi when used in conversation.
Source: ''Memoirs of a Tattooist' by George Burchett and Peter Leighton, 1956
 
In modern day Japan, new school tattooists do not take on Hori names, and now, Hori names are used mostly for artists still practicing [[Tebori|tebori]], the traditional Japanese hand tattooing. Whilst speaking in person to a traditional Japanese tattoo artist, one usually uses the generic term sensei (lit. 'one's elder') in the third person, as a mark of respect.
 
== Ane-San ==
'''''Ane-san''''' or '''''Okami-san''''' is a term or title of respect given by the apprentice to the wife of the Horishi.
 
== Related Articles==
* [[Japan]]
* [[Irezumi]]
* [[Tebori]]
* [[Horihide]]
* [[Hori Chyo]]

Latest revision as of 21:44, 25 September 2023

There is more to traditional Japanese tattoo besides beautiful body art, and that includes the complex relationship between the Horimono master and his apprentice. While modern tattoo techniques have undermined the old tebori culture, it is still an important part of tattoo history.

Contents

  1. Uchideshi
  2. Hori
  3. Ane-San
  4. Related Articles

Uchideshi

Traditional craftsmen (including tattoo artists) historically learned their trade by undergoing deshiiri, a process in which one formally becomes an apprentice to an older master. An Uchi-deshi is an apprentice who lives with his master, a horishi and carries out menial chores and housework in addition to his studies. The uchideshi receives no payment, and pays no money to his master until after he has completed his apprenticeship; however, he receives board, clothing and food during his time as a student. After a five year term of training, the pupil works independently for one year and gives the income from this year to his or her master(s) to express gratitude. This year of service is called oreiboko.

The Uchi-deshi system first arose among the skilled craftsmen of Edo during the mid-18th century, along with the lineage nomenclature that still exists today. Upon retirement, a master would bestow upon his apprentice his professional name, but with the suffix 'The Second' added to it. This carries on ad infinitum i.e. "The Third, The Fourth etc" with successive generations. This hereditary naming system applies to almost all artisan professions in Japan, including tattoo artists.

In modern times, the Uchi-deshi is a rapidly diminishing phenomenon as more students undergo part-time apprenticeships. These apprentices are therefore able to support themselves with other part-time jobs and maintain homes of their own, commuting to their masters' workplaces instead.

Hori

Coming from the Japanese verb horu meaning to "dig" or "engrave", Hori or Horishi is an honorific meaning "trained artist", shi meaning "master" or "teacher", given by the Horimono master to his Uchi-deshi upon the completion of their formal apprenticeship. 'Hori' and then the rest of the name was usually indicative of the region in which the artist worked. Often, the Hori name is passed from one generation of artist to another. ie: Horiyoshi III.

Some people use the word Irezumi-shi. In the Edo Period, the word Horimonoshi was the most common way to refer to a tattoo artist, to distinguish him from the Horishi who carved woodblocks for Ukiyo-e prints. It is generally considered normal to add the honorific suffix, san ("Mr. Tattoo Artist") to Horishi when used in conversation.

In modern day Japan, new school tattooists do not take on Hori names, and now, Hori names are used mostly for artists still practicing tebori, the traditional Japanese hand tattooing. Whilst speaking in person to a traditional Japanese tattoo artist, one usually uses the generic term sensei (lit. 'one's elder') in the third person, as a mark of respect.

Ane-San

Ane-san or Okami-san is a term or title of respect given by the apprentice to the wife of the Horishi.

Related Articles