The Art of the Ukiyo-e Print

The art of the Ukiyo-e print, sometimes referred to by its fanciful title as “Images of the Floating World,” often referred to as the most expressive and influential movement in Japanese art, is a great source of cultural pride, a distinctive view of the Japanese history, and the social, political, and aesthetic values of the time. Characterize by its expressive use of line, color, and composition, Ukiyo-e is praised as a profound artistic movement that influenced not only the development of the future of Japanese art, but it also bore a heavy influence on Western art, particularly concerning Japonisme and Impressionism. In my presentation, I will briefly discuss the history and origins of the Ukiyo-e style, major works of art, their respective creators, and address topics, such as the importance and interpretive meaning of reoccurring subjects and use of artistic principles and design elements. Within this synthesis, a unique perspective of the cultural mindset can be achieved and used to reach a greater understanding within a historical context. Without the contributions made by Ukiyo-e style, the development of Japanese and Western art would have progressed in a vastly different fashion, and a valuable tool for understanding the cultural climate would have been lost, therefore proving the importance of the analysis of this subject