Pictures of the Floating World (Ukiyo-e)

Ukiyo-e, translated as Pictures of the Floating World. Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries. Ukiyo-e is the main artistic genre of woodblock printing in Japan. Usually, the word Ukiyo is literally translated as "Floating World" in English, referring to a conception of an Evanescent world, impernament, fleeting beauty and a realm of entertainments (Kabuki, courtesans, geisha) divorced from the responsibilities of the mundane, every day world. Pictures of the Floating World Ukiyo-e are considered a genre unto themselves. Quote by Asai Ryöi: ... living only for the moment, turning our full attention to the pleasures of the moon, the snow, the cherry blossoms and the maple leaves, singing songs, drinking wine, diverting ourselves in just floating, floating... refusing to be disheartened, like a gourd floating along with the river current... this is what we call the floating world... Ukiyo-e were affordable because they could be mass- produced. They were mainly ment for townsmen, who were generally not wealthy enough to afford an original painting. The original subject of Ukiyo-e was city life, in particular activities and scenes from the entertainment district. Beautiful courtesans, bulky sumo wrestlers and popular actors would be portrayed while engaged in appealing activities. Later on landscapes also became popular. Political subjects, and idividuals above the lowest strata of society (courtesans, wrestlers and actors) were not sanctioned in these prints and very rarely appeared. Sex was not a sanctioned subject either, but continually appeared in Ukiyu-e prints. Artists and publishers were sometimes punished for creating these sexually explicit shunga. Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Sharaku were the prominent artists of this beautiful art. link to Ukiyo-e http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukiyo-e link to playlist of Ukiyo-e http://www.youtube.com/user/meesterschilders#grid/user/D863FBDE73114244 Music: Duff Solo, performed by Anello Capuano http://www.anello-capuano.com/ Images used: Hokusai Katsukika - Dragon Ando Hiroshige - Fuji vieuw Ando Hiroshige - Boats in an Inlet Ando Hiroshige - Men poling boats Ando Hiroshige - Boats on a Lake Kitagawa Utamaro - O-Hisha, O-Kita and O-Hina Kitagawa Utamaro - A Beauty Shunko Katsukawa - Tsurunosuke Utagawa Yoshitora - Bando Mitsugoro Kabukido Enkoyo - Ichikawa Omezo Kabukido Enkoyo - Portrait of Nakayama Utagawa Kuniaki - Nakamura Shikan Utagawa Kunisada - The Ghost Utagawa Kunisada - The Spectre Tsukioka Yoshitoshi - Inaba mountain moon Utagawa Toyokumi - Kondanji Ichikawa Kitagawa Utamaro - O-Kita of Naniwaya Tsukioka Yoshitoshi - Fuzoku Sanjuniso Utagawa Kunisada - Snow