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.
229 Products
Yoshitoshi
I usually dislike a cloudy sky tonight I realize that a cloudy sky makes me appreciate the light of the moon
JPR-109558
Yoshitoshi
Fujiwara no Yasumasa Plays the Flute by Moonlight
JP1-70108
Gekko
Winter Battle in Osaka (Sanada Yukimura Hides in Reeds)
JP1-57927
Kunichika
Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Danjuro as Okubo Hikozaemon on His Way to the Castle
JP-110650
Yoshitoshi
The Ghost of Taira no Tomomori Appears at Daimotsu
JPR-77698
Yoshitoshi
The Moon's Inner Vision: Taira no Tomoume
JP1-47011