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.
83 Products
Kunichika
Raiko and the Earth Spider with Kabuki Actor Onoe Kikugoro as the Earth Spider
JP110433
Yoshimitsu
Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Udanji as Thunder God and Kataoka Gado as Monkey Trainer
JPR-109520
Kunichika
Kabuki Play Modoribashi, Inoue Kikugoro V as the Demon of Mt. Atago Disguised as Sayuri
JP1-51191
Kunichika
Sawamura Tanosuke III as Stepdaughter Kakezara
JPR-209139
