Ukiyo-e

Ukiyo-e (Kanji 浮世絵, meaning "pictures of the floating world") is the general term for a genre of Japanese woodblock prints produced between the 17th and the 20th century, featuring motifs of landscapes, the theater and pleasure quarters.

History

Ukiyo-e can be categorized into several different art periods: the Edo period, which comprises ukiyo-e from its origins in until about 1867, when the Meiji period began and lasted until 1912. The Edo period was largely a period of calm which provided an ideal environment for the development of the art in a commercial form; while the Meiji period is characterized by new influences as Japan opened up to the West.

Related Topics:
Edo period - 1867 - Meiji period - 1912

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The roots of ukiyo-e can be traced to the urbanization that took place in the late 16th century which led to the development of a class of merchants and artisans who began writing stories and painting pictures, compiled together in ehon (絵本, picture books, books with stories and picture illustrations) or novels, e.g. Tales of Ise (Ise-monogatari, 1608) by Honami Koetsu. Ukiyo-e were often used for illustrations in these books, but came into their own as single-sheet prints (e.g. postcards or kakemono-e), or were posters for the kabuki theater. Inspirations were initially Chinese tales and artworks. Many stories were based on urban life and culture, guidebooks were also popular, and all in all had a commercial nature and were widely available. Hishikawa Moronobu, who already used polychrome painting, became very influential after the 1670s.

Related Topics:
Urbanization - 16th century - Ise-monogatari - 1608 - Honami Koetsu - Kakemono-e - Kabuki theater - Hishikawa Moronobu - 1670s

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In the mid-18th century, techniques allowed for production of full-color prints, called nishiki-e, and the ukiyo-e that are reproduced today on postcards and calendars, date from this period on. Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige, and Sharaku were the prominent artists of this period. After studying European artworks receding perspective entered the pictures and other ideas were picked up. Katsushika Hokusai's pictures depicted mostly landscapes and nature. His Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (富嶽三十六景, Fugaku sanjurokkei) were published starting around 1831. Ando Hiroshige and Kunisada also published many pictures drawn on motifs from nature.

Related Topics:
18th century - Nishiki-e - Utamaro - Hokusai - Hiroshige - Sharaku - European - 1831 - Kunisada

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In 1842, as part of the Tenpo reforms, pictures of courtesans, geisha and actors (e.g. onnagata) were banned. Pictures with these motifs experienced some revival though, when they were permitted again.

Related Topics:
1842 - Tenpo - Courtesan - Geisha

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During the Kaei era (1848–1854), many foreign merchant ships came to Japan. The ukiyo-e of that time reflect the cultural changes.

Related Topics:
Kaei era - 1848 - 1854

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Following the Meiji restoration in 1868, Japan became open to imports from the West, including photography and printing techniques. The natural plant colors used in ukiyo-e were also replaced by chemical aniline dyes imported from Germany. While ukiyo-e, being largely replaced by photography, went out of fashion in Japan during the bunmei-kaika (文明開化, Japan's Westernization movement during the early Meiji period) it became a source of inspiration in Europe for cubism and many impressionist painters, such as van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Klimt, and many others. This influence has been called Japonism.

Related Topics:
Meiji restoration - 1868 - Aniline dyes - Cubism - Impressionist painters - Van Gogh - Monet - Degas - Klimt - Japonism

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In the 20th century, during the Taish? and Sh?wa periods, ukiyo-e experienced a revival in the forms of the shin hanga and s?saku hanga movements, both aiming to differentiate themselves from the tradition of commercial mass art. Somewhat ironically, shin hanga, literally new prints, was driven largely by exports to the United States. Inspired by European impressionism, the artists incorporated Western elements such as the effects of light and the expression of individual moods, but focused on strictly traditional themes. The major publisher was Watanabe Shozaburo, who is credited with creating the movement. Important artists included Shinsui Ito and Kawase Hasui, who were named Living National Treasure by the Japanese government.

Related Topics:
Taish? - Sh?wa period - Shin hanga - S?saku hanga - Impressionism - Watanabe Shozaburo - Shinsui Ito - Kawase Hasui - Living National Treasure

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The less well known s?saku hanga movement, literally creative prints, followed a Western concept of what art should be: the product of the creativity of the artists, creativity over artisanship. Traditionally the processes of making ukiyo-e, the design, the carving, the printing and the publishing, were separated and done by different and highly specialized people; s?saku hanga advocated that the artist should be involved in all stages of production. The movement was formally established with the formation of the Japanese Creatice Print Society in 1918, however, it was commercially less successful, as Western collectors prefered the more traditionally Japanese look of shin hanga.

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Ukiyo-e are still produced today and are influential in many ways, inspiring, for example, manga and anime.

Related Topics:
Manga - Anime

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