Ukiyo-e translated into English means “pictures of the floating world”. Ukiyo-e developed initially as a style of painting, rather than prints as most would likely assume. This style of painting emerged during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The style quickly developed its medium into a form of printmaking, using multiple blocks for each print. This resulted in the emergence of prints packed with numerous colors, an amount not seen in previous styles. Full color production quickly became standard due to its vast appeal. Hiroshige and Hokusai are the two most prominent printmakers from this era, boasting works such as the Great Wave off Kanagawa, and Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido. Ukiyo-e is considered to be the most recognizable art style in Japan due to its appeal among western audiences. The exportation of Ukiyo-e prints even had an influence on artists like Van Gogh, Monet, and Toulouse-lautrec.
The late 18th century is generally considered to be the peak of the Ukiyo-e period. This period saw the arrival of portraiture as a dominant form, focusing on idealized female forms and actors of that time. The 19th century introduced perhaps the most recognizable works like the Great Wave and Fifty-Three Stations. Forms of luxury were minimized in these art pieces, turning the center of attention towards landscapes and flora. After the deaths of the two aforementioned artists, Ukiyo-e suffered a severe decline in both quantity and quality. The style was no longer centered around pure art, and became driven by journalism. Ukiyo-e as a practice became exceedingly rare for artists to take up and was no longer seen as commercially viable. This decline continued until the 20th century where descendant traditions were revitalized by a select group of printmakers. Ukiyo-e art is still produced today but has taken on a new goal of continuing the tradition rather than focusing on technological innovations. The vast majority of tools used today are the same from hundreds of years ago, focusing more on the aesthetic process than outright production.
Hokusai:
One of the finest painters in Japanese art history is largely acknowledged as being Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), a Japanese painter and printer. He is well known for his collection of woodblock prints, which includes the famous “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” which has come to represent Japanese art around the world.
Hokusai was born in Japan during the Edo era in the Katsushika neighborhood of Edo (today’s Tokyo). His father, Nakajima Ise, was a mirror maker, and he was raised in an artistic family. Hokusai’s early years were plagued by poverty, and at a young age, he became a woodblock carver’s apprentice. He started taking art classes under Katsukawa Shunsho, a prominent ukiyo-e artist at the period, when he first became interested in the subject.Under Shunsho’s instruction, Hokusai mastered the popular Japanese painting form of ukiyo-e, which emphasized portrayals of ordinary life such as landscapes, portraits, and the entertainment district. His distinctive style, which was defined by strong lines and vivid colors, immediately emerged, and he started creating a variety of works, such as book illustrations, single-sheet prints, and multi-panel paintings.
Hokusai left Shunsho’s studio in 1790 and started working as a freelancer, creating prints for several publishers. At this point, he chose the moniker “Hokusai” (which means “North Star”), which he used as his stage name for the remainder of his career. He continued to develop his style over the ensuing decades and created several of his most well-known pieces, like as his “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” series, which includes “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” Hokusai was renowned for his prolific production, and even in his advanced years, he kept on creating art. He was renowned for being open to experimenting with novel methods and aesthetics, and he had a significant impact on the growth of contemporary Japanese art. Additionally, Hokusai’s work had a significant influence on Western artists, such as Vincent van Gogh, who was particularly attracted to the color and composition choices in Hokusai’s work.
Hokusai was a prolific writer in addition to being an artist, and he wrote multiple volumes on painting philosophy and practice. He was particularly interested in the connection between nature and art, and he held that all artists should draw their greatest inspiration from the natural world. He wrote extensively about the value of ongoing practice and self-improvement. He was also interested in the concept of artistic mastery.
Hokusai left a lasting impression on the field of art, and his creations are still prized today. His incredibly familiar depictions of Mount Fuji and the sea, which have come to represent Japan and its illustrious artistic legacy, are instantly recognizable. Numerous artists, both in Japan and around the world, have been influenced by him, and his name continues to be associated with excellence in the field of woodblock printing.
Hiroshige
Japanese printmaker and artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) is considered as one of the finest masters of the ukiyo-e school. His landscapes and images of daily life, which were distinguished by their delicate color schemes and use of perspective, are particularly well recognized. Hiroshige was born into a samurai household in Edo (today’s Tokyo), Japan. He decided against continuing in his family’s tradition and worked as an apprentice for the ukiyo-e painter Utagawa Toyohiro instead. In the 1810s, he started creating his own artwork under the moniker “Hiroshige” after quickly demonstrating his artistic aptitude.
The “Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road” series of prints, created by Hiroshige in 1832, was his first significant body of work. The show was an instant hit since it portrayed the voyage from Edo to Kyoto via the fabled Tokaido Road. These prints contributed to Hiroshige’s reputation as a master of the ukiyo-e style and were commended for their vivid depictions of the surroundings and travelers.
Hiroshige proceeded to create a wide variety of prints throughout the following few decades, including several additional series of landscapes and vignettes from daily life. His paintings were known for their delicate use of color, meticulous attention to detail, unexpected angles, and compositional strategies. His series “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo,” which he created between 1856 and 1858, is among Hiroshige’s most well-known works. The show featured a variety of scenes from Edo, including well-known buildings, celebrations, and daily life. The prints, which are still among Hiroshige’s most renowned works, stood out for their use of dramatic perspective and striking composition.
The author Kyokutei Bakin and Hiroshige worked together to create a series of prints based on Bakin’s book, “The Tales of the Eight Dog Heroes.” The prints contributed to Hiroshige’s reputation as a master of both the weird and the ordinary. They were noteworthy for their portrayals of the supernatural.
The art of Hiroshige had a significant impact on the evolution of Japanese art, and also had a significant impact on the growth of the Impressionist movement in Europe. Hiroshige’s use of color and composition particularly appealed to the French painter Vincent van Gogh, who made multiple reproductions of Hiroshige’s paintings. In 1858, Hiroshige passed away at the age of 61. Over 8,000 prints and several books on art theory and technique are among the numerous pieces of work he left behind. His legacy is still honored today, and his creations continue to have a significant impact on the art world.
Title: Leaving Edo : Nihonbashi, (The bridge of Japan)
Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige
Era: 19th Century
Location: Edo (Tokyo)
Material: Japanese Rice Paper
Medium: Woodblock Prints
Dimensions: 9.63 in x 13.5 in
Description: The poster shows a busy scene at the Nihonbashi Bridge, which served as the Tokaido Road’s beginning point. Merchants and tourists are seen crossing the bridge in the foreground while carrying products and luggage. The bridge itself, with its elaborate railing and recognizable arches, is shown in exquisite detail. In the distance, little boats and fisherman can be seen on the river that flows beneath the bridge.
Hiroshige’s use of vivid colors and his superb composition, which produces a sense of depth and movement, are what make the print unique. The bridge and the figures in the foreground use diagonal lines to attract the viewer’s eye into the picture, while the far-off mountains and sky give the composition scale and balance.
Generally speaking, the first print in Hiroshige’s “53 Stages of the Tokaido Road” series conveys the enthusiasm and energy at the beginning of a lengthy journey and serves as a prelude to the numerous scenes of everyday life and natural beauty that appear in the remaining prints.
Title: Odawara (Crossing the Sakawa river at a ford)
Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige
Era: 19th Century
Location: Odawara
Material: Japanese Rice Paper
Medium: Woodblock Prints
Dimensions: 9.63 in x 13.5 in
Description: A group of people traversing the river’s shallow waters on foot and on horses can be seen in the print’s foreground. Porters and guides are with the travelers to help them on their journey.
The print’s use of color is one of its most striking elements. The river and trees are shown by Hiroshige in vibrant hues of blue and green, giving the landscape a sense of depth and movement.
With its portrayal of the tourists and their porters navigating the natural surroundings, the print perfectly portrays the spirit of travel during the Edo era. It also emphasizes how crucial the river was as a terrain challenge that visitors had to overcome. The print provides evidence of Hiroshige’s talent as an artist and captures the drama and beauty of daily life in Japan in the 19th century.
Title: Kanbara (A village in the snow)
Artist: Utagawa Hiroshige
Era: 19th Century
Location: Kanbara
Material: Japanese Rice Paper
Medium: Woodblock Prints
Dimensions: 9.63 in x 13.5 in
Description: Hiroshige uses a composition that depicts a little settlement hidden among snow-covered fields and trees to express the peace and calm of the snowy countryside. The print’s foreground depicts people moving along a path covered with snow.
A glimpse of Mount Fuji can be seen in the distance; it is shrouded in mist and only partially visible due to snowfall. The print’s use of white space and subdued hues imparts a feeling of tranquility and tranquillity, while the fine details in the figures and terrain depict the abrasiveness of the winter landscape.
One of Hiroshige’s most compelling works and a testament to his extraordinary talent as an artist is the print Kanbara: A Village in the Snow. It is an outstanding illustration of the ukiyo-e art style, which emphasizes on preserving the passing moments of daily life.
Title: The Great Wave Off Kanagawa
Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Era: 19th Century
Location: Kanagawa
Material: Japanese Rice Paper
Medium: Woodblock Prints
Dimensions: 10.1 in × 14.9 in
Description: The Great Wave off Kanagawa features a massive wave that is poised to overwhelm three little boats as Mount Fuji looms in the distance. With its crest curling and cresting like a dragon, the wave is depicted as a strong and dangerous force. The boats are depicted as being weak and little in comparison, emphasizing the immense power of nature.
This Japanese art masterpiece is renowned for its minute details and striking composition. The print was made by Hokusai using a variety of methods, including as color blocks, wood grain texture, and a special shading method known as bokashi that gives the picture a sense of depth and movement.
The Great Wave off Kanagawa has been often imitated and referred to in popular culture, and it has come to represent a fundamental aspect of Japanese art. Its continuing appeal is evidence of Hokusai’s talent as an artist and his capacity to condense the grandeur and ferocity of nature into a single work of art.
Title: Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit
Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Era: 19th Century
Location: Mt.Fuji
Material: Japanese Rice Paper
Medium: Woodblock Prints
Dimensions: 10.125 in × 15 in
Description: In the background of this print, Mount Fuji may be seen looming over the surroundings. The stark contrast between the black rain and the white snow on Mount Fuji, in particular, gives the image a sense of drama and tension because to Hokusai’s use of contrasting hues. The clouds and lightning bolts’ wavy patterns and striking shapes enhance to the print’s dynamic vitality.
“The Rainstorm Beneath the Summit” perfectly conveys the untamed strength and unpredictability of nature as well as the fortitude of the human spirit in the face of difficulty. Hokusai’s mastery of the woodblock print method and his ability to convey drama and emotion through visual imagery are both clearly demonstrated in this remarkable work.
References
Art, Department of Asian. “Art of the Pleasure Quarters and the Ukiyo-e Style: Essay: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, January 1, 1AD. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/plea/hd_plea.htm.
Art, Department of Asian. “Woodblock Prints in the Ukiyo-e Style: Essay: The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, January 1, 1AD. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/ukiy/hd_ukiy.htm.
Kazuhiro, Kubota. “A Short History of the Ukiyo-e Society of Japan.” Impressions, no. 26 (2004): 94–105. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42597832.
Magohachi, Takenouchi, and Tsuruya Kiemon. “Great Tokaido.” Great Tōkaidō. Accessed May 8, 2023. https://www.hiroshige.org.uk/Tokaido_Series/Tokaido_Great.htm.
Mihara, Shigeyoshi. “Ukiyoe. Some Aspects of Japanese Classical Picture Prints.” Monumenta Nipponica 6, no. 1/2 (1943): 245–61. https://doi.org/10.2307/2382858.
Thompson, Sarah. “The World of Japanese Prints.” Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin 82, no. 349/350 (1986): 1–47. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3795440.
