About UKIYO-E


UKIYO-E

	Ukiyo literally means a gaily spirited world, and ukiyoe are wood-block prints depicting this world. They were priginally produced in the Edo era (from the 17th to the 19th century),and they provide a dramatic insight into the customs, the people and the scenery of that era. The best-known of the ukiyoe artists are probably Utamaro, with his portraits of beautiful women;Hiroshige,whosemost famous work is the Fifty-Three Stages of thee Tokaido; Hokusai,with his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji ,and Sharaku, famous for his actors portraits.

Producing an Ukiyoe print


ESHI The eshi, or painter,sketches the basic design, draws pictures for the woodblock prints and indicates the colours according to the order from the Ukiyoe priginal sellers.

HORISHI The horishi,or carver,pastes the picture for a print upside-down on a convex carving block, carves the block for a proofsheet in black and white, then carves other blocks for the colours that the painter has designated.

SURISHI The horishi,or carver,pastes the picture for a print upside-down on a convex carving block, carves the block for a proofsheet in black and white, then carves other blocks for the colours that the painter has designated.

Picture of Carving tools and Printers tools.

	Baren is a tool for pressing: Ategawa and bamboo bark are twisted together to form a spiral core, This core is again wrapped with bamboo bark to form the baren. (Ategawa is a leather face that has been glued with stretched rice paper and coated with urushi lacquer.)


Color blocks printed with individual colour.

	Finish of Ukiyoe: Unique techniques such a blind prints and gradation are extensively used. These techniques cannot be seen in woodblock prints of other countries.

UKIYO-E