Ukiyo-e: Japanese Woodblock Prints of the Floating World

Ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints and paintings flourishing from the 17th to 19th centuries. Using multi-block color printing, artists depicted Edo (Tokyo) life: kabuki actors, geisha, sumo, landscapes, and illustrations for novels and travel guides.

Ukiyo-e profoundly influenced Western art—Impressionists (Monet, Degas) and Post-Impressionists (Van Gogh) adopted its flat colors, bold outlines, and unconventional perspectives. Today, these prints remain highly collectible icons of Japanese art.