Saturday 14 March 2020

Ukiyo-e-of-the-Week is back!

During these almost two years since I stopped publishing new material here, I have received inummerable emails asking me to revive this blog. For long I resisted; among a large number of other activities, I simply had not time enough. However, a couple of passionate readers offered to donate some money for the project if I reconsidered, and making this a paying activity would change the preconditions. I agreed to revive the blog for a test period, after that we may see. Upon their advice, I will also put up a link for voluntary donations i Bitcoin. Donations are optional, but be aware that also very small donations make a difference.

Posting returns today, and I will try to keep it to Saturdays, just as before. I will, however, extend the subject of the blog beyond ukiyo-e in a strict sense and include some works from the Shin Hanga and Sosaku Hanga Movements, both of which can be said to be offsprings of ukiyo-e.

Just as before, every post will feature a print, sometimes a painting, and I will accompany it with a brief text. Sometimes the text will be only the name of the artist, the work and when it was made, but mostly I will try to elaborate briefly about artist and motive, sometimes with a short introduction to some element of Japanese history or folklore. I like to see this blog as a combination of entertainment and education: enjoy beautiful art and learn something about the rich Japanese culture at the same time.

Wednesday 2 May 2018

Message

For a number of different reasons, I have decided to wind up the blogs Ukiyo-e of the Week and Japankonst. That is, I'm not going to publish new material. However, until further notice, they will remain available as works of reference and inspiration.

Saturday 24 March 2018

108 - Shunsen: Geisha entertaining a client at a teahouse garden


Ukiyo-e. Shunsen.
Shunsen: Geisha entertaining a client at a teahouse garden

Here is a scene from Japan at the time, Geisha entertaining a client at a teahouse garden, by Katsukawa Shunsen. This work is from the first decade of the 1800s.


Saturday 17 March 2018

107 - Shigeharu: Nakamura Utaemon III as Shōki


Ukiyo-e. Shigeharu. Shōki.
Shigeharu: Nakamura Utaemon III as Shōki


This is a yakusha-e from 1822-1826, which shows actor Nakamura Utaemon III as Shōki. It is from the series Seven Quick Changes (Shichihenge no uchi) by Ryusai Shigeharu, who lived 1802-1853.

Shōki, the Demon Queller, was a protector against demons and disease. Here he is red, in that colour he protected against smallpox.

Saturday 10 March 2018

106 - Hiroshige: Matching the World and Music


Ukiyo-e. Hiroshige.
Hiroshige: Matching the World and Music

This is a rare and beautiful triptych by Hiroshige. The name of the print is Onkyoku sekai awase (Matching the World and Music). It was published 1849-1850.


Saturday 3 March 2018

105 - Ginkô: Disguised as Woman


Ukiyo-e. Ginkô. Abbreviated Japanese History.
Ginkô: Disguised as Woman

Here we have Disguised as Woman by Adachi Ginkô. It is from his most famous series: "Pictorial Outline of Japanese History (Dainippon shiryaku zue)",  published 1885-1889.

Saturday 24 February 2018

104 - Chikanobu: The brave wife of Shinozuka Iga no Kami standing on the bank of a lake


Ukiyo-e. Chikanobu.
Chikanobu: The brave wife of Shinozuka Iga no Kami standing on the bank of a lake


This is "The brave wife of Shinozuka Iga no Kami standing on the bank of a lake", by Toyohara Chikanobu. The print is from1866.

Shinozuka Iga no Kami was a retainer of the Nitta no Yoshisada and the Nitta clan. His wife's name was Iga no Tsubone.