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.
98 Products
Toshikata
Title Page: Daily Practice of the Tea Ceremony
JPR-208712
Toshikata
Lady-in-waiting: Woman of the Hotoku Era (1449-52)
JPR-208646
Toshikata
Composing Poetry: Noblewoman of the An'ei Era (1772-81)
JPR-208645
Keinen
Green Back Parrot and Japanese Plum Blossoms
JPR1-72037
Yoshitoshi
Strolling: An Upper Class Wife of the Meiji Era
JPR-208427
Keinen
Magnolia and Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
JPR1-71954
