• Japanese Culture

    Ukiyo-e 浮世絵

    Ukiyo-e is a genre of art established in the Edo period. Its themes vary from lives and trends of common people, numerous scenic spots to women and actors. It became popular among ordinary people. Ukiyo-e styles include hand drawings and woodblock printings. Some world famous ukiyo-e painters are; Utagawa Hiroshige known for “The Fifty Three Stations of Tokaido Road” and Katsushika Hokusai known for “The Thirty Six Scenic Views of Mt.Fuji”. They received high praise overseas and their styles had a big influence on European impressionists in the 19th century. 浮世絵は江戸時代に成立した絵画様式です。庶民の生活や流行、数々の景勝地、遊女や役者をテーマに描かれ、庶民の間で流行しました。浮世絵には肉筆画と版画があります。代表的な絵師として、「東海道五十三次」で知られる歌川広重や、「富嶽三十六景」で知られる葛飾北斎がいて、海外でも高い評価を受け、19世紀ヨーロッパの印象派の画家達の画風に大きな影響を与えました。