Restoring Edo-period Japanese woodblock prints: removing aging artifacts without losing historical character

Hello everyone,

I’m working on a small restoration project involving 11 Edo-period Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) - see image attached.
My goal is not to modernize or “beautify” the images, but to reduce age-related degradation while preserving the historical and illustrative character of the prints.

Specifically, I’m trying to address:

• Yellowing / brownish paper tone caused by aging

• Foxing, stains, uneven discoloration

• Loss of contrast due to paper aging

• Minor texture noise from scanning or paper wear

What I do want:

• Cleaner paper tone (closer to original washi/off-white)

• More legible colors and linework

• Preservation of flat color areas, woodblock texture, and period feel

What I do not want:

• Over-smoothing

• Painterly or “AI-like” results

• Loss of line sharpness

• Anything that makes the print look digitally repainted or contemporary

I’m working in Photoshop, with high-resolution scans.
I’m finding it difficult to remove aging artifacts without flattening or sterilizing the image.

I’d really appreciate guidance on:

• Recommended non-destructive workflows

• Best use of channels, blend modes, or frequency-style approaches for historical prints

• How conservators or experienced retouchers approach this type of material digitally

• Whether you’d handle paper tone separately from ink/color layers

If anyone here has experience with archival restoration, museum imaging, or historical print retouching, I’d love to hear how you would approach this.

Thanks in advance — any technically grounded advice is welcome.