Meiji Period Prints (1868-1912)
Meiji-period woodblock prints reflect an era of change. In 1853, the arrival of Commodore Perry’s black ships brought over 250 years of Japanese isolation to an abrupt end. The following year, as Japan engaged in international trade, Yokohama-e (Yokohama pictures) captured an influx of unfamiliar peoples, places and things entering Japan through Yokohama harbor. By 1868, the Imperial line attained control of the country under Emperor Meiji, terminating the feudal rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate and dissipating the culture of the floating world. Under the emperor, national modernization progressed rapidly. From Western-style clothes and pastimes, to exciting new inventions from overseas, Japan absorbed the massive influx of the foreign and developed a distinctly Japanese modern identity. While photography and lithography gained popularity at this time, the woodblock print continued to serve as a powerful medium. Meiji period artists made sense of a transitioning world with a familiar medium.
14 Products
Yoshitoshi
Moon of Pure Snow at Asano River: The Filial Daughter Chikako
JP-200068
Yoshitoshi
Dawn Moon and Tumbling Snow: Kobayashi Heihachiro
JP-208649
Yoshitoshi
In the Moonlight Under the Trees a Beautiful Woman Comes
JP-210476
Yoshitoshi
Okame Laughing at the Silhouette of a Matsutake Mushroom
JPR-209573
Yoshitoshi
Taira no Kiyomori Sees Skulls of His Victims
JPR-92240
Yoshitoshi
The Parting Scene between Yoshitsune and Shizuka at Mt. Yoshino
JP111296