Learn How Japanese Woodblock Prints Inspired Impressionist Art, Plus a Guide to Creating Your Own Ukiyo-e Inspired Pieces
Japanese woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), are among the most iconic forms of Japanese art. Flourishing during the Edo period (1603–1868), ukiyo-e captured the spirit of a rapidly growing society with its unique beauty. What began as affordable art for the masses grew into a sophisticated genre, immortalising the beauty of everyday life, landscapes, and the human experience.
Artists like Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige rose to prominence in this era, producing works that resonated with artists and designers worldwide and influenced art movements such as Impressionism and Art Nouveau. In this article, we'll discuss the origins and characteristics of Japanese woodblock printing and how you can incorporate ukiyo-e elements into your own work. Let's go!
'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' by Katsushika Hokusai
The Beauty of Ukiyo-e: Techniques and Themes
Creating ukiyo-e prints was a collaborative process involving the artist, carver, printer, and publisher. Artists sketched the designs, which were then meticulously carved into woodblocks. Each colour required its own block, and the layers were expertly aligned during printing to produce vibrant, multi-coloured images.
Every woodblock print in Edo-period Japan required approval from a censor representing either the government or a wholesale dealer. These censors enforced strict regulations on print size and the number of colours used. This regulatory environment, while restrictive, also fostered a culture of innovation and creativity as artists and publishers found ways to work within these constraints.
These prints often featured subjects like dramatic kabuki actors, beautiful women, fearsome warriors and traditional landscapes. Famous prints include Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa and Hiroshige's The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō, standing out as masterpieces. With bold outlines, flattened perspectives, and a harmony of colour and texture, ukiyo-e captured fleeting beauty in a timeless form.
Hodogaya: Shinmachi Bridge, from the series 'Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road' by Utagawa Hiroshige
Impressionism and the Influence of Ukiyo-e
Impressionist artists were deeply inspired by ukiyo-e as they sought to break free from the rigid conventions of European academic art. Elements like asymmetric compositions, flattened perspectives, and an emphasis on everyday subjects resonated with their goals of capturing life's fleeting moments.
- Claude Monet: He curated a Japanese water garden at his house in France and was a devoted collector of ukiyo-e. Monet's works reflect their influence in his focus on light, nature, and dynamic compositions. His paintings Water Lilies and The Japanese Footbridge echo the serenity of ukiyo-e landscapes and beautiful floral motifs.
- Mary Cassatt: The Letter is a standout example of how Cassatt directly applied Japanese influences. The subject, a woman seated at a desk while writing a letter, is depicted with simplified forms and bold patterns. The composition's cropped framing and the emphasis on flat planes of colour show Cassatt's keen adaptation of ukiyo-e principles.
- Edgar Degas: Degas adopted the unconventional framing of ukiyo-e in his ballet scenes and portraits, creating a sense of immediacy, movement and intimacy in his compositions.
The Letter by Mary Cassatt
The Modern Legacy of Ukiyo-e
The principles of ukiyo-e continue to inspire contemporary artists and designers. Its influence is evident across many art forms, from Japanese anime and manga to modern graphic novels, poster art, illustration, surface pattern design and more. Here are some practical ways artists can incorporate its principles into their work:
- Experiment with Composition: Use asymmetry and unconventional perspectives to create dynamic and visually striking scenes.
- Embrace Minimalism and Pattern: Incorporate bold, repetitive patterns and restrained space for a minimalist aesthetic.
- Focus on Everyday Beauty: Find inspiration in simple, daily moments, capturing the poetry of the mundane.
- Play with Colour and Texture: Use bold, limited colour palettes and layered textures to mimic the tactile quality of woodblock prints.
- Incorporate Storytelling: Weave subtle narratives into your work, using recurring themes or characters to engage viewers.
- Blend Traditional and Modern Techniques: Reinterpret traditional ukiyo-e themes through digital illustration, printmaking, or mixed media.
Actor Ōtani Oniji III as Yakko Edobei in the Play 'The Colored Reins of a Loving Wife', by Tōshūsai Sharaku, 1794
Whether you're an illustrator, designer, or fine artist, the enduring and inspiring legacy of ukiyo-e offers endless opportunities to experiment, innovate, and tell your own stories in a timeless yet contemporary way. Why not try incorporating it into your next piece?
