in the British Museum Victoria and Albert, now an exhibition «Masterpieces of Ukiyo-e», devoted to one of the most common types of Japanese block printing. The exhibition presents prints from the museum's own collections, which are among not only the best, but also the largest in the world. It includes more than 25 thousand prints, paintings, drawings and books. In the halls of the museum, visitors can see the beautiful full color prints, drawings for the fans, illustrated editions of poetry and the outline of artists.

Name «Ukiyo-e» most often associated with color woodcut, which had been popular in Japan in the Edo era (1600-1868). The earliest prints are black and white and made from one board. Sometimes they are painted by hand, but it was quite expensive. In 1740-ies the use of additional steel plates from which prints were made with green and pink. It was only in 1765 technology was improved and there are multicolored prints, known as «nisiki-e» - «brocaded pictures».

The expression «Ukiyo-e» is not connected with the process of printing and is not limited to color images. It originates from the name of one of the categories of Buddhism - «Ukiyo», which was originally translated as «frail, inconstant world». But at the end of XVII century understanding of the words slightly changed: it was to mark World Earth's joys and pleasures. Thus, the Ukiyo-e - this picture of the daily life of the urban estates Edo period.

on the creation of such prints were working artist, engraver and typographer. This process is as follows. The artist did outline drawing in ink on a thin, transparent paper. Graver, glued drawing face on the board of cherry, pear or boxwood, cut out the first printed form. Then a few black-and-white prints, in which the artist conceived the colors meant. Carver produced the necessary number (sometimes more than thirty), printed forms, each of which correspond to one color or tone. Printers, negotiate with the artist colors painted vegetable or mineral origin and the wet rice paper, hand printed engraving.

Artists who worked on Ukiyo-e, and also engaged in painting. However, the picture could afford only the Japanese, but the prints were worth cheaply produced large numbers and were accessible to many people. Therefore, the topic Ukiyo-e is directly dependent on the interests of ordinary citizens, who mostly bought them.

What is most keen and happy residents of Edo XVII - beginning XIX century? This, for example, a picture depicting a theater actor in static poses against a background of theater curtains or make-up rooms in the rooms. Also very popular are the so-called «bidzinga» - portraits of beauties «cheerful quarters». One of the most prominent masters of this genre was Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806), which is often called «the female singer of beauty». At that time, prints can be seen and the scenes of urban life, and episodes of popular folklore: tales and stories about heroes. Attended in the Ukiyo-e and traditional genres such as landscape. Its development is linked primarily with the names Katsusika Hokusaya (1760-1849) and Ando (Utagava) Hirosige (1797-1858). The two author's famous not only in Japan but also abroad. They even had an impact on the creativity of the French Impressionists, including Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh.

The exhibition can also see a rare and especially valuable because woodcut. These figures for the fans that affect their varied and colorful. They have survived far worse than other types of prints, as well as the fans were in constant use. However, the Victoria and Albert Museum possesses a large collection, and the current exhibition gives visitors a unique opportunity to meet with her and get to know the tastes of Japanese people who lived in the Edo era.

material produced Catherine Onuchin

Source: artdaily.com , vam.ac.uk , japantoday.ru , artinvestment.ru