Non-Western Art: Ukiyo-e

 

Ukiyo-e is the art of wood prints. This art movement originated in Japan around the early 1600s and ended at the start of the 20th century. Typically, the prints had women in them or depicted scenes from ancient folklore. 

Suzuki Harunobu: Poem by Fujiwara no Motozane (c. 860) from the Series Thirty-Six Poets (c. 1768)

This print by artist Suzuki Harunobu, depicts a mother hanging clothes using a bamboo rod, alongside her son who is chasing an animal. When looking at various examples of Ukiyo-e, I noticed a similar lack of color used. We dont really see this often in Western art forms, but I like the concept as it leads viewers to look past colors and focus more on the story being told within the art. 

Katsushika Hokusai: Under the Wave off Kanagawa (also known as The Great Wave) (c. 1830-32)

This infamous piece is something I believe a lot of you will recognize. This print called Under the Wave Kanagawa, also known as The Great wave, is definitely a favorite of mine. I love the bright color in this piece, which is uncommon for this type of art, and the contrast of the blue to the white foam of the waves. As written in The Art story, "The scene has an impending energy, depicting the moment just before the wave breaks. Mount Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan, was traditionally felt to be a symbol of immortality, a totem of kami, but its diminished form here, as the wave towers above it, suggests that the idea of immortality is as transitory as the boats about to be swamped and torn apart." I love the story behind this piece. Although, Mount Fuji to me is almost too small for this piece as it's hard to notice at first glance, when all focus goes to the water. 

Evening Glow at Ryōgoku Bridge by Torii Kiyonaga, from the series Eight Views of Edo, 1782, via The British Museum, London

I love the shape of this piece. The way it is framed gives off the feeling you are looking into a telescope or binoculars. Your view is very focused on one point, and I feel like the lines used in the building and wall almost direct your eyes right to the center of the frame. I like the colors used in this piece, the orange and red tones have a strong contrast against the black frame and blue waters. It is also interesting to see how in this art form and in non-western art, we see a lot of images where the sky is shown as this grey/beige color, with little to no clouds, but the water is always very blue. 

References:

    Ches, Avery. "The Ten Most Important Ukiyo-E Art Prints Of All Time". Thecollector, 2022, https://www.thecollector.com/10-most-important-ukiyo-e-art-prints/.

     Seiferle, Rebecca. "Ukiyo-E Japanese Prints - Important Art". The Art Story, 2022, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/ukiyo-e-japanese-woodblock-prints/artworks/#nav.