hist. Japanese prints final exam

TOYOHARA Kunichika, Photographic Mirror of Actors: Sasaki Gennosuke, woodblock print, 1870 – printmakers were trying to stay relevant, the print was more realistic to meet the needs of the public. This is due to the arrival of new mediums like photography and lithography.

ASAMA RIEKO, Oryū, a Geisha in Imabaru, Tokyo, lithography print, 1882

TSUKIOKA Yoshitoshi, One Hundred Aspects of the Moon series, woodblock print, 1888-92 – very detailed and skilled portrayal of the kimono. The print shows darkness and a night scene. Even the artists not trained in western style painting were still trying to show the human figures in a more realistic and three dimensional fashion.

32 Feminine Aspects in Fashion, 1888 – shows images of women in different fashion, from different eras of Japanese fashion. this was the late 1880s fashion in western style. Eyebrows drawn in as blue to show that they were shaved off. Paying homage to utamaro’s series 10 studies of female physiognomy ca. 1792-93.

KOBAYASHI Kiyochika, Dawn at Kanda Yagumo Shrine, woodblock print, 1880 – one of the prints that are known as light ray pictures. There is a strong highlight on the tree that shows were the light source is coming from, something that was not done in Japanese art before.

Our Fleet Sinks a Chinese Warship in the Yellow Sea, woodblock print, 1894 – he liked to portray night scenes, rainy days, different weather conditions. Very detailed of Chinese sailors getting thrown into the sea. Contrasted with other images of the war. The ship is being torn apart by the sea. Very dynamic. Tried to make his woodblock prints as realistic as possible. Used hatching on the woodblock to mimic different textures.

TAKEUCHI Keishū, Nurse, kuchie print, 1904 – produced by artists trained in nihonga.

HASHIMOTO Hōsuke, Woman and Flowers series, picture postcard, 1905 – sashiage. The artist produced a fully colored rendering of the picture in watercolor which was not done before. It is a separate drawing from the original. Different approach to printmaking unique to kuchie prints and postcards. Art nuveau style. Flat coloring, strong outline. Women and plant motif, geometric shapes. Produced by artists trained in yoga.

YAMAMOTO Kanae, Fisherman, woodblock print, 1904 – first creative print by Japanese artist. It is a wood engraving. Would use knives to draw the lines as if it was a painter using apaintbrush. It is an immediate translation to the artist’s thoughts.

ISHII Hakutei, 12 Views of Tokyo series, woodblock print, 1914-1916 – geisha in traditional hair and kimono with a cartoucho ( a little window showing a scene) showing an area of Tokyo. All 12 prints represents a different area of Tokyo. Use of cartoucho blends the use of images of women and landscape, goes back to ukyioe.

ODA Kazuma, Night Blizzard on the Great Bridge of Matsue, lithography print, 1925 – It Is a lithography print.