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.
92 Products
Hokusai
One Hundred Views of Mt. Fuji (Fugaku Hyakkei), Volume III
JPR-211135
Hokusai
Ehon: One Hundred Views of Mt. Fuji [Complete Set]
JPR-210951
Toshikata
Playing the Koto: Nagoya Woman of the Koka Era
JPR-210870
Yoshitoshi
The Moon and the Helm of a Boat: Taira no Kiyotsune
JP-210510