Collection: Japanese Wood Block Prints

Ukiyo-e: The pictures of the floating world.

Buddhist monks brought wood block printing to Japan in the 8th century. Themes remain religious until the Edo period (1615-1868). Then the theme changed to pleasure and indulgence. Inspiration starts coming from the Yoshiwara (red light district) and the Kabuki theatre. By the mid 1700's, the prints achieved extraordinary popularity. In the 1840's the government restricted depictions of the actors and courtesans. Then artists added landscapes, warriors, ghosts and scenes of everyday life. The prints were affordable, commercial and evolved to capture the urban popular culture.