Ukiyo-E
Ukiyo-e translatess to "pictures of the floating world", and the name encompasses the group of artists that created woodblock prints in Edo throughout the 1700s and 1800s. This art form was unique because, unlike previous arts that focused on nobility and images of high stature, these artists turned their attention to the normal, working class Japanese, and the landscapes and roads familiar to them.
Many of these prints were posters for local theaters and restaurants, and many featured geisha and courtesans of this area. Hiroshige and Hokusai were known not only for these styles of prints, but also for their landscapes which had a huge impact on artists all over the world.
Printing woodblocks actually involved more than the artist, however. He created the original drawing and supervised its production, but there was also an engraver who transferred the drawing to the wood, and who often chose pieces of wood whose grain enhanced sections of the drawing. The printer also contributed, leaving more or less ink on at each stage to create complex layers of color and texture.
One of Hiroshige’s most well known works is the "53 Stations of the Tokaido". The Tokaido was a main road running from Kyoto to Edo, and many pilgrims travelled this road, moving from station to station along their way. These prints were especially popular with the emerging middle class, who now found artwork which related to their normal lives.
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