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.
55 Products
Kiyochika
Three Geisha: Kayo of Osaka, Hitosuru of Kyoto, and Kokichi of Tokyo
JPR-209987
Kunichika
Kabuki Actor Ichikawa Sadanji I as Konoha no Minezo
JP-209940
Kunichika
Geisha from the Hiramatsu Restaurant in Nihonbashi
JP-209936
Kunichika
Sawamura Tanosuke III as Stepdaughter Kakezara
JPR-209139
Yoshitoshi
Feeling Chilly: Concubine of the Bunka Era
JPR-111872
Yoshitoshi
Feeling Chilly: A Concubine of the Bunka Era
JPR-109490
Yoshitoshi
The Disagreeable Type: Young Woman of Nagoya in the Ansei Era
JPR-208428