Great Japanese wave swamps the city plaza

“Masterpieces of Ukiyo-e,” featuring nearly 170 Ukiyo-e works is on exhibit in the city until January 6, 2019.

Ukiyo-e was a popular form of printed art in Japan during the Edo period from 17th to 19th century. Inexpensive and usually depicting scenes from everyday life, Ukiyo-e is literally “pictures of the floating world,” the name given to the lifestyle in Japan’s urban centers during this period — fashion, entertainment and the pleasures of flesh.

The Japanese artists produced woodblock prints and paintings covering subjects as varied as female beauties, kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers, scenes from history and folk tales, flora and fauna, and erotica.

Ukiyo-e was central to forming the West’s perception of Japan in the late 19th century.

From the 1870s, Japonism was a prominent movement and had a strong influence on the early Impressionists such as Degas, Manet and Monet, as well as Post-impressionists such as van Gogh and Art Nouveau artists.

The highlight of the exhibition is probably the well-known “Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Hokusai Katsushika.

Not only is it one of the best known Ukiyo-e, but is considered a national treasure in Japan.

Info

Date: Through January 6, 10am-6pm

Venue: Zhongjin Plaza

Address: 2/F, Bldg A, 331 Caoxi Rd N.

Admission: 68 yuan from Monday to Friday, 88 yuan at the weekend