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.
215 Products
Yoshitoshi
I wanted to sleep in peace, and yet throughout the night till it began to ink I watched the moon
JPR-109566
Yoshitoshi
Yugao: The Chapter from the Tale of Genji
JPR-104471
Yoshitoshi
Mount Yoshino Midnight Moon: Iga-no Tsubone
JPR-104450
Yoshiiku
Yanaibashi Geisha at Restaurant Umekawa in Shinbashi
JPR-109804
Yoshitoshi
Kiyohime Changing into a Serpent at Hidaka River
JPR-106977
Chikanobu
Princess Toyotama, Daughter of the Dragon King
JP2257
Chikanobu
Cherry Blossoms Along the Banks of Sumida River
JPR-97265
