First click on What Is Ukiyo-e? to learn the basics of ukiyo-e. Next go to How to Make Ukiyo-e to find out how an ukiyo-e print is made. Are you ready? Then go to Virtual Ukiyo-e and give it a shot yourself! Make sure to stop by Ukiyo-e Gallery too, to see some famous ukiyo-e prints. Have fun!
- What Is Ukiyo-e?
- How to Make Ukiyo-e (1)
- How to Make Ukiyo-e (2)
- How to Make Ukiyo-e (3)
- Virtual Ukiyo-e
- Ukiyo-e Gallery
Courtesy of the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing.
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Ukiyo-e
What Is Ukiyo-e?
The Roots of Ukiyo-e
The word ukiyo refers to the world of common people and e means "picture." Thus when ukiyo-e first emerged in the late sixteenth century, it usually depicted everyday life in the city of Kyoto. It wasn't until the eighteenth century that ukiyo-e became a popular art form, though, thanks partly to advances in woodblock printing techniques. Also, familiar subjects like kabuki actors and beautiful women came to be depicted around this time, and books carrying illustrations by young ukiyo-e artists were widely circulated. These factors helped ukiyo-e become a part of Japan's popular culture. (233 words)
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