Ukiyo-e Art Works: An Intimate Glimpse into Daily Life in Japan which Influenced Western Masters
Art lovers who gravitate toward the works of European post-impressionists like Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso—often focusing on scenes from daily life—may love exploring the works of Japanese ukiyo-e creators.
HIshikawa Moronobu. Beauty Looking Back, 1688-1704.
Translated as “pictures of the floating world,” ukiyo-e was most prominent from the 17th through the 19th centuries in Japan. Ukiyo-e began as a way to appeal to the emerging and growing middle class in Japan who enjoyed glimpses into these lifestyles that so greatly differed from their own. The scenes most frequently depicted beauty, love, sex, daily scenes and landscapes.
Artists—often comprised of teams of creators—typically produced both paintings and wood block prints to allow viewers a peek into the lives and activities of people like courtesans, sumo wrestlers, kabuki actors and geishas. Relying not only on a keen eye for the beauty of folk and travel scenes of everyday citizens, ukiyo-e artists also possessed stunning talent in craftsmanship and technical expertise in painting and woodblock printing.
One of the earliest successful ukiyo-e artists, Hishikawa Moronobu, worked in the 1670s, elevated the status of ukiyo-e art from book illustration to established artform to admire. He was also one of the earlier ukiyo-e artists to use colorful backdrops while also weaving patterns into the woodblock images that resembled embroidery. In the 18th century, Suzuki Harunobu took a more delicate approach to his renderings of female characters. Known for his daring compositions, Harunobu often adding dynamic backdrops and bold ink swirls. Both of these artists were instrumental in laying the foundation for the long, dynamic and successful future of the beloved ukiyo-e.
Katsushika Hokusai also worked in the 18th century, during the Edo Period, expanding the subject matter to include landscape works like the iconic series entitled “The Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.” Often considered one of the last great masters of ukiyo-e, Ando Hiroshige also focused on landscapes in his work. While Hokusai employed a more formal approach to his landscape pieces, Hiroshige delivered a more delicate and poetic atmosphere in his pieces, as witnessed in his renowned series “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.”
Finally, Kitagawa Utamaro was another late artist in this style, focusing on feminine beauty. Compared to the more overt sexuality revealed Moronobu’s productions, Utamaro took a more understated approach, providing a deeper insight to the characters themselves.
Katsushika Hokusai. The Great Wave off Kanagawa, 1829–1832.
Ando Hiroshige. Kyoto, 53 Stations of the Tokaido, 1833-1834.
The influence of ukiyo-e on the west was not exclusive to European post-impressionists of the late 19th century. Western artists were inspired to explore whole new realms of composition, human form and color. The enchantment inspired by ukiyo-e was also greatly enveloped in the phenomenon coined "Japonism," which was first described in 1872 by French art critic and collector Phillippe Burty. The impact of Japan's multi-dimensional artistic prowess in all genres of the fine arts—sculpture, woodblock prints, architecture, decorative arts and performing arts—was so great during that time that Japonism formed as a school of study to provide insights and even greater exposure to Japanese art.
Vincent van Gogh. La Courtisane, 1887.
While the modern world and its technological influence on architecture, along with its impact on many other aspects of 21st century life, looks much different from the world at the height of the ukiyo-e style, skilled and passionate anime and manga comics artists capture the essence of today's Japanese daily life.
Admirers of this unique and intricate style can find ongoing exhibits at multiple museums in the US including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, and the Honolulu Museum of Art. The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston boasts the largest ukiyo-e collection outside of Japan and is occasionally available for public viewing. In Japan, Ota Memorial Museum of Art and Okada Museum of Art, MOA Museun of Art are just a few of the many spots to enjoy these beautiful works in person.
Those who aspire to own woodblock prints of ukiyo-e can visit the Jimbo-cho area in Tokyo where a handful of galleries offer authentic prints for sale. Hara Shobo is a small bookstore where the second floor is dedicated for ukiyo-e artwork; Yamada Shoten offers extensive selection of prints, while Gallery Somei-do is known to hold rare pieces.
