Japanese Ukiyo-e Appreciation · Issue 1: Beauties and Courtesans Painting (7)

Author: Wu Guiyu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Ukiyo-e, which refers to the genre of folk paintings from the Edo period in Japan. The term "ukiyo" originates from Buddhist terminology, meaning the myriad phenomena of the world, or the various social scenes one sees and hears. By the late 17th century, it was adopted by Japanese scholars and artists in the field of art, giving rise to ukiyo-e. The production method of ukiyo-e first involved more expensive ink paintings, followed by the emergence of the widely known woodblock prints. Ukiyo-e includes folk paintings centered on beautiful women, artist paintings depicting Kabuki actors, as well as landscapes, flowers, birds, insects, grasses, and paintings of animals and plants. Among these, the beautiful woman paintings and artist paintings, which are collectively known as the two major themes of ukiyo-e, are renowned for their unique charm, attracting worldwide attention and being widely collected by major museums around the world.
Kikukawa Eishan (1786-1867) became active in the Japanese art scene from the beginning of the Bunka era. Influenced by Hokusai, he excelled in painting beautiful women with long oval faces. After the mid-Bunka period, he developed a distinctive style characterized by his soft and elegant brushwork. His works focus on the subtle changes in facial expressions, with highly detailed environmental descriptions, giving the entire composition a refined and bright impression.