Ukiyo-e

ART APPRECIATION
16-057
AIZABELLE ANGELINE BULA
 What is Ukiyo-e?
“pictures of the floating world” (ukiyo - floating world/pleasure quarters, e
- picture/illustration)
Japanese woodblock prints
17th to 19th century
Subjects: theater actors, courtesans, sumo wrestlers, landscapes (city life
/ nature), history, folk tales, erotica
popular because of cheap price
considered decorative art
V&A (n.d.). Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e). https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/japanese-woodblock-prints-ukiyo-e#:~:text=Ukiyo%2De%20literally%20means%20'pictures,cities%20during%20the%20Edo%20period
Artsy (n.d.). Ukiyo-e. https://www.artsy.net/gene/ukiyo-e
Google Arts & Culture (n.d.) The Ukiyo-e Artists You Need To Know. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-ukiyo-e-artists-you-need-to-know/BQKC6o0k2oBRLA
Visual Arts (n.d.). Ukiyo-e Woodblock Prints: History, Characteristics. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/east-asian-art/ukiyo.htm#:~:text=Characteristics%20of%20Ukiyo%2De&text=Appreciated%20for%20its%20bright%20colour,sumo%20wrestlers%20and%20Kibuki%20actors
Edwards, G., & Joyner, C. (n.d.). The Colorful World of Ukiyo-e: Color in Japanese Woodblock Prints. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/ghe/cascade/index.html?appid=2ea96b5ec90e4378a363c01d10131192&bookmark=Ukiyo-e
 Ukiyo-e Production
consists of four people:
1. Artist - designed the print
2. Carver - provided the woodblock
3. Printer - pressed the woodblocks on paper
4. Publisher - financed, promoted, and distributed the
works
V&A (n.d.). Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e). https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/japanese-woodblock-prints-ukiyo-e#:~:text=Ukiyo%2De%20literally%20means%20'pictures,cities%20during%20the%20Edo%20period
Artsy (n.d.). Ukiyo-e. https://www.artsy.net/gene/ukiyo-e
Google Arts & Culture (n.d.) The Ukiyo-e Artists You Need To Know. https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-ukiyo-e-artists-you-need-to-know/BQKC6o0k2oBRLA
Visual Arts (n.d.). Ukiyo-e Woodblock Prints: History, Characteristics. http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/east-asian-art/ukiyo.htm#:~:text=Characteristics%20of%20Ukiyo%2De&text=Appreciated%20for%20its%20bright%20colour,sumo%20wrestlers%20and%20Kibuki%20actors
Edwards, G., & Joyner, C. (n.d.). The Colorful World of Ukiyo-e: Color in Japanese Woodblock Prints. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/ghe/cascade/index.html?appid=2ea96b5ec90e4378a363c01d10131192&bookmark=Ukiyo-e
 Notable Ukiyo-e Artists

Katsushika Hokusai Utagawa Hiroshige Utagawa Kunisada

1760 - 1849 1797 - 1858 1785 - 1865

Photo:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hokusai_as_an_old_man.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Memorial_Portrait_of_Utagawa_Hiroshige_(5765350019).jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kunisada_shini_e.jpg
Lane, R. (2023, September 27). Hokusai | Japanese ukiyo-e artist & printmaker. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hokusai
Lane, R. (1998, July 20). Hiroshige | Japanese ukiyo-e artist & printmaker. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hiroshige
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (1998, July 20). Utagawa kunisada | Ukiyo-e, Woodblock Prints, Kabuki Theater. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Utagawa-Kunisada
 Brief History
originally correlated with the Buddhist concept of
life
“to float” (uki) later became associated, referring to
worldly pleasures
reached the Western coast during Meiji period
this then resulted to Japonism
The Art Story. (n.d.). Ukiyo-e Japanese Prints movement Overview. https://www.theartstory.org/movement/ukiyo-e-japanese-woodblock-prints/
Examples
Some of Katsushika Hokusai’s Works
 Tenma Bridge at Setsu Province
(1831 - 1834)

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53193
The Tenma Bridge in Settsu Province (Sesshû Tenmabashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyô kiran) – Works – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (n.d.). https://collections.mfa.org/objects/216518
 Semiotic Plane
Name of Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Medium: Woodblock print; ink and color on
paper
Size/Dimension: 24.5 x 36.9 cm (9 5/8 x 14
1/2 in.)
Signature: Hokusai aratame Iitsu fude (前北斎
為一筆 )
Location: Honolulu Museum of Art &
Metropolitan Museum of Art (either one or
both are copies)
Price/Value: (Unknown)
Collector: William Sturgis Bigelow
Collection: William Sturgis Bigelow Collection
Physical Properties: Woodblock
The Tenma Bridge in Settsu Province (Sesshû Tenmabashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Format: Landscape
Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyô kiran) – Works – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (n.d.).
https://collections.mfa.org/objects/216518
Semiotic Plane
Elements:
Line: Lots of vertical and curved lines;
horizontal lines
Shape: Triangles and rectangles
Form: Bridge, houses, the boats, and the
spectators
Space: Distance of the boats between each
other and their distance from the bridge
Texture: Rough because printed on
woodblock
Value: The water in the river is a technique
called nishiki-e, the blues gradually fading as
it nears the bridge
Color: Heavy use of primary colors and
green with white/gray and black
Iconic Plane
Subject: Tenma Bridge
Source: Natural World (Landscape)
Type: Representational
Description: There is a curved
symmetrical bridge in the middle of the
artwork, with people standing on it
holding lanterns and looking at the
boats along the river. Some boats are
still about to pass under the bridge.
There are houses in the bottom right
corner, located across the bridge. More
are located ahead of the bridge, the
whole place possibly being the Setsu
Province.
 Contextual Plane
This artwork shows the
Tenjin Festival held in this
particular province in the city
of Osaka. This celebration is
dedicated to the Japanese
god of art and learning,
Tenma Tenjin.

Gurney, T. (n.d.). Tenma Bridge in Setsu Province. TheHistoryOfArt. https://www.thehistoryofart.org/hokusai/tenma-bridge/

 Evaluative Plane
This artwork is a part of
Hokusai’s series “Rare Views of
Famous Bridges in All the
Provinces”
It must have been created to
commemorate the Tenma
Bridge at the time
Also to consequentially retain
the essence of the Tenjin
Festival to the citizens of Osaka.

Gurney, T. (n.d.). Tenma Bridge in Setsu Province. TheHistoryOfArt. https://www.thehistoryofart.org/hokusai/tenma-bridge/

 The Great Wave Off Kanagawa
(1830 - 1832)

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53193
Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa-oki nami-ura), also known as the Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjûrokkei) – Works – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (n.d.). https://collections.mfa.org/objects/177107/under-
the-wave-off-kanagawa-kanagawaoki-namiura-also-kn?ctx=3bfd8d8d-1229-4de6-a0fb-84171f637916&idx=1
 Semiotic Plane
Name of Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Medium: Woodblock print; ink and color on
paper
Size/Dimension: 10 1/8 x 14 15/16 in. (25.7
x 37.9 cm)
北
Signature: Hokusai aratame Iitsu hitsu (
斎改爲一筆 ) “Hokusai’s modified stroke”
Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York, USA
Price/Value: $2.76 million
Collector: Denman Waldo Ross
Collection: Denman Waldo Ross
Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa-oki nami-ura), also known as the Great Wave, from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjûrokkei) – Works Collection
– Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (n.d.). https://collections.mfa.org/objects/177107/under-the-wave-off-kanagawa-kanagawaoki-namiura-also-kn?ctx=3bfd8d8d-1229-4de6-
a0fb-84171f637916&idx=1
Du Plessis, A. (2023). “The Great Wave Off Kanagawa” Katsushika Hokusai – An Analysis. artincontext.org. https://artincontext.org/the-great-wave-off-kanagawa-
Physical Properties: Woodblock
katsushika-hokusai/
Hollan, O. (2023, March 24). Rare print of Hokusai’s ‘Great Wave’ sets new auction record. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/hokusai-great-wave-auction- Format: Landscape
christies/index.html
Semiotic Plane
Line: Heavy use of curves and crescents
at the edge of the waves
Shape: Triangular
Form: Waves, boats, Mt. Fuji
Space: Bit of empty space to the right
of the viewer, making it a good example
of the Golden Ratio
Texture: Rough because woodblock
print
Value: The waves have differing shades
of blue
Color: Mostly consisting of blue, peach,
beige, and very minor gray, causing a
cool color scheme
Iconic Plane
Subject: Wave
Source: Nature
Type: Representational
Description: There is a giant wave,
possibly a wave of a tsunami, dominating
the left part of the viewer’s perspective
(this serves as the subject), its waves
crescent-shaped and claw-like. There are
three boats at the bottom surface of the
water, the first two in front are nearly
submerged in another wave while the
other at the back is tilted. At the far back
is Mt. Fuji, gray clouds hovering above it,
and above those clouds is what seems to
be the sky.
 Contextual Plane
This artwork depicts an area in
Japan, Kanagawa, known to
have huge and rough waves
since it was a port at the time
of this creation, showing the
waves’ destructive-like form
through their size and how they
thrash the boats.

Gurney, T. (n.d.). The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. TheHistoryOfArt. https://www.thehistoryofart.org/hokusai/great-wave-off-kanagawa/

 Evaluative Plane
The artwork shows the people’s
perseverance, portrayed through the
figures in the boats who are ready to
face the massive wave, and that no
matter what natural calamity
strikes us, we still manage to
overcome our struggles and prevail
in the end (John Gaber, 2017).
It doesn’t mean a clash of cultures,
but rather about admiring the view
of Mt. Fuji in such weather
(Artsapien, 2020).
Gaber, J. (2017, October 11). Art analysis & critique – The Great Wave of Kanagawa”. John Gaber’s Blog. https://johngaber.wordpress.com/2017/10/11/art-analysis-critique-the-great-wave-of-kanagawa/
Artsapien. (2020, July 28). The Great Wave off Kanagawa Analysis: How the artist stopped time. Artsapien. https://artsapien.com/2020/07/the-great-wave-off-kanagawa-analysis/
 The Ghost of Oiwa (1831 - 1832)

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53193
The Ghost of Oiwa (Oiwa-san), from the series One Hundred Ghost Stories (Hyaku monogatari) – Works – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (n.d.-b). https://collections.mfa.org/objects/129277/the-ghost-of-oiwa-oiwasan-from-the-series-one-hundred-gh?ctx=f28fce12-
47be-497a-a387-58bee98fc80c&idx=0
 Semiotic Plane
Name of Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Medium: Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Size/Dimension: 26.3 x 18.9 cm (10 3/8 x 7 7/16
in.)
Signature: Saki no Hokusai hitsu ( ) 前北斎筆
Location: British Museum
Price/Value: (Unknown)
Collector: Mrs. Edward Jackson Holmes
Collection: (From Mrs. Edward Jackson Holmes)
Physical Properties: Woodblock
Format: Portrait

The Ghost of Oiwa (Oiwa-san), from the series One Hundred Ghost Stories (Hyaku monogatari) – Works – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. (n.d.-b). https://collections.mfa.org/objects/129277/the-ghost-of-oiwa-oiwasan-
from-the-series-one-hundred-gh?ctx=f28fce12-47be-497a-a387-58bee98fc80c&idx=0
 Semiotic Plane
Line: Mostly curves, followed by zigzags, and some
minor horizontal and vertical lines. The subject
consists of thin lines, with thicker ones at the back
Shape: Round and circular
Form: A broken lantern with a face on it
Space: The subject is placed well in the center, giving
it space away from the border
Texture: Quite rough because it’s woodblock print
Value: The blue transitions to gray in the middle, and
the peach and its brighter shade highlight the subject
Color: Peach, blue, dirty white, and black, giving a cool
color scheme. The background is gray and blue to
signify the night and a warning (from the story)
S, T. (n.d.). Hokusai Object Analysis- Oiwa-San Print. prezi.com. https://prezi.com/p/cemrknvv2zrb/hokusai-object-analysis-oiwa-san-print/
Iconic Plane
Subject: Lantern with a face
Source: Folklore
Type: Representational
Description: The subject is a hanging lantern
with a distorted face on it, and its hair is also
apparent. This side of the lantern has a ripped
part at the bottom, which looks like an open
jaw of the face. What seems to be three
threads of smoke is coming out of it, and a
simple minimalist plant is at the very bottom
of the artwork.
 Contextual Plane
This artwork shows the particular hallucination
of a character from the story Yotsuya Kaidan.
This is a paper lantern ghost with a distorted
face that Iemon hallucinated and came into
manifestation when he had constant night
terrors after causing the death of his previous
wife, Oiwa. Before her death, Iemon sent her
face cream with poison, which disfigured her
face, thus why her manifestation as a lantern
ghost also has one.

Mirror. (2023, June 2). The Myth of Oiwa — The Paper Lantern Ghost - Moon Mausoleum. Moon Mausoleum. https://moonmausoleum.com/the-myth-of-oiwa-the-paper-lantern-ghost/
 Evaluative Plane
Part of a series called One Hundred Ghost
Stories (which Hyokusai only ended up
doing five)
Inspired by the tradition Hyakumonogatari
Kaidankai (A Gathering of One Hundred
Supernatural Tales) where friends would
light 100 candles and tell scary stories,
blowing one candle after one story.
In some way, this work is a reminiscence
of that tradition.

The Public Domain Review (2018, December 11). Hokusai’s Ghost Stories (ca. 1830). https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/hokusai-s-ghost-stories-ca-1830/
Thank you!
 1. What is Ukiyo-e?
2. Which ukiyo-e artist inspired Van Gogh & Claude
Monet?
3. - 5. What are the three ukiyo-e examples that
were shown?