The Tides of Change: Unparalleled Ukiyo-e
Ukiyo-e took the world by storm with its influence on Impressionism and Western art, which later became to be known as Japonism. An art form that originated from and represents Japan, the floating world of ukiyo-e was established during the Edo period and was seen as a form of mass entertainment by commonfolk. It is iconic for its use of colour, transparency and bold use of black and white; all while portraying the nature of the carefree attitude of the people of the Edo era. It is also known for his visualization of pleasure districts, which depicts the sensory pleasures of life.
Katsushika Hokusai: The Impact of the Great Wave
Nearly 418 years later, ukiyo-e is still popular with the influence of Katsushika Hokusai, who is the most notable artist of the woodblock printing craft. He is known for his block printings of the 36 views of Mt. Fuji, and more famously known for his block printing of The Great Wave. Hokusai’s play on perspective and scale is evident in this piece – a massive wave threatening to crash into fishing boats all while dwarfing the tallest mountain in Japan.
The Great Wave is universally popular and is one of the world’s most iconic pieces of Asian art, having been exhibited around the world. It is notable for being an origin for Impressionism and Art Nouveau. At the time of its making the piece was also symbolic as it reflected on the cusp of change in Japan; during the Edo period, relations and trade between Japan and other countries were limited – essentially, the country was locked down. During the time of its debut in the 1830’s, Japan had the notion of ending more than 200 years of isolationism.
Hokusai’s influence had such an impact on Western culture as well as the advancement on conventional Japan. Not only was his work a time capsule depicting the dilemmas of Japan, it also told the story of how it was transitioning to a modern Japan. To put his impact in a more recent perspective, Hokusai’s work is still present today, having been recreated as merchandise for apparel stores such as Uniqlo.
Works Cited
“Art of the Pleasure Quarters and the Ukiyo-e Style.” Metmuseum.org, https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/plea/hd_plea.htm.
Tham, Dan, and Junko Ogura. “Why the ‘Great Wave’ Has Mystified Art Lovers for Generations.” CNN, Cable News Network, 3 Dec. 2018, https://www.cnn.com/style/article/hokusai-great-wave-ukiyo-e-woodblock/index.html.
“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 Sanjūrokkei).” Metmuseum.org, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45434.