Ukiyo-e (Japanese Print)

Ukiyo-e emerged

in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). The term Ukiyo means “pictures of the floating world" and celebrates the beauty of everyday life.

Media

– Ukiyo-e artists primarily used woodblock printing for mass production. Artists would carve images into wooden blocks, apply ink, and press paper onto the blocks to create prints.

Styles

– Ukiyo-e is known for vibrant colors, bold lines, and perspective. Artists often used a technique called bokashi to create color gradients and depth.

Purpose

The primary purpose was to capture fleeting moments in landscapes, kabuki actors, beautiful people (bijin), and scenes from popular stories.

Significant Artists

– Notable figures include Katsushika Hokusai, famous for The Great Wave off Kanagawa, and Utagawa Hiroshige, known for his landscape series Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō.