Azuma Ogi (Popular Icons of East-Japan as Fan-shaped Portraits): Actor (detail), By Katsukawa Shunsho, Edo period, 18th century
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 10
August 28, 2018 (Tue) - September 24, 2018 (Mon)
The genre of Japanese art called ukiyo-e flourished in the Edo period (1603–1868), taking as its subject matter the common people of the time as well as their interests and activities. In the early Edo period, ukiyo-e consisted solely of hand-painted works. Later, prints that could be mass-produced with woodblocks were invented, while succeeding advances in carving and printing techniques led to the creation of brilliant, multicolor prints. This exhibition begins with an early printed monochrome work, Scenes from the Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarters by Hishikawa Moronobu, and then traces the development of ukiyo-e techniques through works demonstrating the distinguishing characteristics of the artists who produced them. Paintings and printed books will also be included to show how ukiyo-e developed until the Meiji era in the late 19th century.
Current exhibit includes:
Azuma Ogi (Popular Icons of East-Japan as Fan-shaped Portraits): Actor, By Katsukawa Shunsho, Edo period, 18th century
Inside and Outside the Mosquito Net, By Kitagawa Utamaro, Edo period, 18th century 7 (Important Art Object)
The Actor Ichikawa Komazo III as Shiga Daishichi, By Katsukawa Shun'ei, Edo period, dated 1794 (Important Art Object)
The Actor Ichikawa Komazo III as Shiga Daishichi, By Toshusai Sharaku, Edo period, dated 1794 (Important Cultural Property)