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Japanese Woodblock Print, Ukiyo-e Style
Ukiyo-e is a Japanese art form that involves the use
of hand carved wooden blocks for printing images. A number of blocks,
varying from a single block to up to 30, are each carved with a portion of an
image. For every color there is usually a separate block carved.Ukiyo-e
literally translated means "pictures of the floating world". It hints of
the transitory world of the pleasure quarters where time is fluid and nothing
has any real consequence.
Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858) is one of the most famous Ukiyo-e artists, specialized in landscapes.
Katsushika Hokusai is probably best known for his landscape pictures. By far his most famous works are his 36-picture set "Mt Fuji Views", produced in 1827.
Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1808) is regarded as one of the foremost painters of beauty, or the "bijinga" genre.
