Ukiyoe 浮世絵 (Transient World Arts)

“Ukiyoe” [浮世絵/うきよえ] is the famous Japanese traditional picture.

Picture: “Fugaku Sanjūrokkei”(富嶽三十六景)

DESCRIPTION
“Ukiyoe” is 【picture of the floating world】. It was became popular around Edo period(1603~1867).
It is the picture which drawing “everyday life of the Japanese people”, “landscapes”, “beautiful women”, and “sumo wrestlers”.
In the beginning, “Ukiyoe” was monochrome but around 18th century, it was evolved to multi-coloured printing called “Nishiki-e”. Then wooden print was developed by combining “painter”, “woodblock carver” and “printer”. By using wooden print, “Ukiyoe” is able to mass production, and it became the art for the merchant class.

If you are interested in Ukiyoe, watch this movie. And check lower article.

There are some famous “Ukiyoe” so I’ll introduce you some.
1. “Portraits of beauties”(美人画/BijinGa) by Utamaro Kitagawa

2. “Kabuki actors”(歌舞伎役者/KabukiYakusha) by Sharaku Toshusai

3. “Kanagawa Oki Nami Ura”(神奈川沖浪裏) and “Gaifu Kaisei”(凱風快晴)by Hokusai Katsushika