Beauty and Wall Clock, By Nishikawa Sukenobu, Edo period, 18th century
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 10
October 28, 2014 (Tue) - November 24, 2014 (Mon)
In the early Edo period (1603-1868), ukiyo-e, which depicted common people, were only in the form of paintings. Later on, a method of woodblock printing was devised and mass production of ukiyo-e became possible. Eventually, a method of producing multicolored nishiki-e prints was established, following the further development of carving and printing techniques.
This exhibition aims to showcase the diversity of ukiyo-e by showing prints in a variety of sizes created using various techniques. These include early monochrome prints (sumizuri-e), a wide print, landscapes depicted in "poem-card" prints (tanzaku-ban), and One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji as shown in printed books. Also on display are ukiyo-e depicting autumn leaves and bush clovers - works full of seasonal references appropriate for autumn.
Current exhibit includes:
Standing Courtesan, By Kaigetsudo Dohan, Edo period, 18th century
Dance of Autumn Leaves, By Suzuki Harunobu, Edo period, 18th century
Beauty and Wall Clock, By Nishikawa Sukenobu, Edo period, 18th century
One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji, By Katsushika Hokusai, Edo period, 19th century