Nishiki-e is an Edo specialty unrivaled by other regions. Those prints that are gorgeously colored find fans of high status. They are admired throughout Japan. – Edo meisho zue (1834) [2] Nishiki-e – meaning “brocade paintings” in Japanese refers to an era of polychromatic prints that practically revolutionized how Japanese woodblock prints were made. Usually, …
Nishiki-e: A tale of the colorful world of Ukiyo-e Read More »
Aka 赤 あか – the Japanese word for red is so much more than just a color in Japanese culture. From shrines to temples, and even the clothing of Shinto priests, everything has a touch of red to it. As a matter of fact, Japan’s national flag has a red sun right in the center …
Woodblock Red – The dominant color of Ukiyo-e and of Japan Read More »
“[People in Edo period Japan (1603–1868)] … overcame many of the identical problems that confront us today—issues of energy, water, materials, food, and population—[and] forged from these considerable challenges a society that was conservation-minded, waste-free, well-housed and well-fed, and economically robust, and that has bequeathed to us admirable and enduring standards of design and beauty.” …
Ukiyo-e – pictures of the floating world. What made them so popular, apart from Japan opening up its borders to the west, of course? The color! Oh, how the reds flow right into the greens and the browns lining the greys. The color explosion that each Japanese woodblock piece has is like no other. And …
