Japanese Woodblock Prints

Colorful and narrative-rich woodblock prints from Japan, depicting themes of daily life, mythology, and seasonal changes.

Fight between men and two women in a room overlooking a snowy garden, The Ninth Act Kyudanme Scenes from the Kanadehon Chushingura story (series title) Kanadehon Chushigura (series title on object), print maker: Kuniteru, (mentioned on object), publisher: Izumiya Ichibei (Kansendo), (mentioned on object), Kinugasa Fusajiro, (mentioned on object), print maker: Japan, publisher: Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo, 1851 - 1853, paper, colour woodcut, h 254 mm × w 355 mm

The 1855 Ansei Edo earthquake, also known as the Great Ansei Earthquake, was one of the major disasters of the late-Edo period. The earthquake occurred at 22:00 local time on 11 November. It had an epicenter close to Edo (now Tokyo), causing considerable damage in the Kanto region from the shaking and subsequent fires, with a death toll of about 7,000 people. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami. Within days, a new type of color woodblock print known as namazu-e (lit. 'catfish pictures') became popular among the residents of the shaken city. These prints featured depictions of mythical giant catfish (namazu) who, according to popular legend, caused earthquakes and related tsunami by thrashing about in their underground lairs. In addition to providing humor and social commentary, many prints claimed to offer protection as talismans from future earthquakes. The popularity of namazu-e exploded, and as many as four hundred different types became available. The phenomenon ended two mont

'Seven Sons are Fighting for First Place Among Those Who Passed Examinations'. China, late 19th - early 20th century. Dimensions: 62x107,5 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

The robber Sadakuro robs takes money from Yoichibei, scene from the 5th act of the drama: Treasury of fideIIty /Chishingura HIROSHIGE, Ichiryusai (1797 1858)

Village Inn Facing Mount Fuji, Japanese Prints - Hokusai

Utagawa Hirokage, Cherry Blosson Viewing at Asuka Hill, 1859, color woodblock print.

Tale of the Wisteria Robe Tale of the Wisteria Robe, 15th century. Ink on mica-flecked paper, 6 5/8 x 405 1/4 in. (16.8 x 1029.3 cm). Asian Art 15th century

Two women stretching cloth 1792-1802 Japan. Color woodblock print; double-page illustration from book . Katsushika Hokusai

Picture Book of Gold Brocades 1763 Suzuki Harunobu Japanese. Picture Book of Gold Brocades. Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1725-1770). Japan. 1763. Set of three woodblock printed books; ink on paper. Edo period (1615-1868). Illustrated Books

Saiko Hajime ca. 1790 Kubo Shunman Japanese. Saiko Hajime 54853

The Practical Jokers Yajirobei and Kitahachi Utagawa Hiroshige Japanese ca. 1840

Pages from the illustrated book "Panoramic Views along the Banks of the Sumida River (Ehon Sumidagawa ryogan ichiran)". Katsushika Hokusai ; Japanese, 1760-1849. Date: 1801-1806. Dimensions: 23 x 36.4 cm. Color woodblock print; double-page illustration from book. Origin: Japan. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Nihonbashi, Morning Scene, c. 1832-1833, Utagawa Hiroshige; Publisher: Takenouchi Magohachi; Publisher: Tsuruya Kiemon, Japanese, 1797 - 1858, 9 5/8 × 14 1/2 in. (24.4 × 36.8 cm) (sheet, horizontal ōban), Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, Japan, 19th century

Minakuchi. Utagawa Hiroshige (Japan, Edo, 1797-1858). late 1830s. Prints; woodblocks. Color woodblock print

Lovers in the Garden, from an Untitled Series of Erotic Prints 1668-1686 Japan. Woodblock print; oban, sumizuri-e . Hishikawa Moronobu

A Cherry-Viewing Excursion by a Noble Lady and Attendants. Artist: Chobunsai Eishi (Japanese, 1756-1829). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: 15 7/32 x 30 in. (38.7 x 76.2 cm). Date: ca. 1797. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Akasaka Waitresses at an Inn (Akasaka, ryosha shofu no zu), from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido (Tokaido gojusan tsugi no uchi), also known as the Hoeido Tokaido 1828-1839 Japan. Color woodblock print; oban . Utagawa Hiroshige

Seki: Early Departure of a Daimyō, from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando) (Japanese, 1797-1858). Seki: Early Departure of a Daimyō, from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road, ca. 1833-1834. Color woodblock print on paper, Sheet: 10 x 14 3/4 in. (25.4 x 37.3 cm). Asian Art ca. 1833-1834

Tsukuda Island (Tsukudajima), from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital (Toto meisho) 1827-1838 Japan. Color woodblock print; oban . Utagawa Kuniyoshi

A seaside outing 1796-1809 Japan. Color woodblock print; oban triptych . Utagawa Toyokuni I

Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. Date/Period: 1750/1837. Painting. Color on paper. Width: 629.6 cm. Height: 32.5 cm. Author: UNKNOWN.

Tokyo, Takenouchi Magohachi (Hoeido), Japan, Hiroshige (I), Utagawa, Tokaido gojusan tsugi no uchi, The 53 Stations of the Tokaido, Miya, Atsuta shinji, Shinto ceremony at the Atsuta shrine, Two groups of men holding on to ropes attached to driven horses; in the foreground a torii; on, print, prints, Japan (collection), Hiroshige ga, height 225 mm, width 346 mm, Japanese, 1797 - 1858, print maker, printmaker, 1828 - 1835, second quarter 19th century, paper, nishiki-e, colour woodcut, colour woodblock, Publication (Event), Publication, publisher

Karako no tokei, Chinese children fighting cocks., Kitao, Shigemasa, 1739-1820, artist, between 1772 and 1774, 1 print : woodcut, color ; 25.7 x 19.5 cm., Print shows four Chinese boys at a cockfight.

Exchange of Gifts (Yuino), the second sheet of the series "Marriage in Brocade Prints, the Carriage of the Virtuous Woman (Konrei nishiki misao-guruma)". Suzuki Harunobu ; Japanese, 1725 ()-1770. Date: 1764-1770. Dimensions: 7 7/8 x 11 in. Color woodblock print; chuban yoko-e. Origin: Japan. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, USA.

GRABADO JAPONES - ESCENARIO CON ACTORES DE TEATRO JAPONES (KABUKI) - ESCUELA UKIYO-E (MUNDO FLOTANTE). Author: UTAGAWA HIROSHIGE O ANDO TOKUTARO. Location: MUSEO CHIOSSONE. Genova. ITALIA.

Poem by Chunagon Atsutada, from the series "One Hundred Poems Explained by a Wet Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki)". Katsushika Hokusai ; Japanese, 1760-1849. Date: 1921. Dimensions: . Color woodblock print. Origin: Japan. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Six Jewel Rivers ca. 1839 Sakai Ōho The titles of the six small-format handscrolls in this set refer to the six rivers in various parts of Japan that are named Tamagawa, or Jewel River. Each scroll shows a horizontal expanse of landscape in which the main elements of the composition are gradually introduced and then slowly fade out in almost cinematic fashion. The theme of six beautiful rivers enjoyed great popularity in the nineteenth century among both poets and ukiyo-e printmakers. Sakai Ōho, one of the last Rinpa artists of the Edo period, died when he was quite young, leaving only a small body of work. Many of his paintings are based on or inspired by the work of Sakai Hōitsu, his adoptive father and teacher.. Six Jewel Rivers 53427

. Woodblock print; oban, keyblock proof impression . Torii Kiyonaga (Publisher)

Scene 4b. handscrolls. 1660. Spencer Collection. Manuscripts, Japanese

Sakanoue Tamuramaro in Rain of Arrows. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japan, 1839-1892). Japan, 1876. Prints; woodblocks. Color woodblock print

The spring between the shores of the Sumida; Bokutei NO WATASHIBUNE. Two courtesanes, with western umbrella, waiting in the rain on the mapping ferry in which young woman with umbrella, two bonsai tree sellers and the ferryman.

Butterflies Dancing Episode left of the pair Episodes from the 'Butterflies' Chapter of the Tale of Genji, late 18th century, Tosa Mitsusada, Japanese, 1738 - 1806, 23 7/16 x 68 1/2 in. (59.5 x 174 cm), Ink, color, and gold on paper, Japan, 18th century, This screen, along with its mate, illustrates an episode from 'Butterflies,' chapter 24 of The Tale of Genji, in which Genji organizes springtime festivities in the garden of Murasaki, his favorite consort. The other screen shows the noblewomen with their multilayered robes enjoying the garden from exotic pleasure boats with phoenix and dragonhead prows. This screen pictures the following morning, when Murasaki dresses several of her young attendants as birds and butterflies and has them dance for the empress.

Teapluckers on the land in an imitation bamboo frame. .

Pilgrimage to Myōhōji in Horinouchi, Edo ca. 1804 Utagawa Toyohiro Japanese Toyohiro did not make as many prints as paintings. These two prints, the rightmost of a set of five, illustrate a group of women paying homage at Myōhōji temple, which is dedicated to the founder of the Nichiren sect. Toyohiro portrayed the elegant women against a backdrop of the Myōhōji temple precinct rendered in Western perspective (uki-e).. Pilgrimage to Myōhōji in Horinouchi, Edo 54882

Japanese people by Katsushika Hokusai, color woodcut, circa 1830, 1760-1849, Russia, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage

Procession of a Daimyo. Hishikawa Moronobu; Japanese, ()-1694. Date: 1676-1689. Dimensions: 27.2 x 38.5 cm. Hand-colored woodblock print; oban yoko-e, sumizuri-e. Origin: Japan. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Three couples sharing umbrellas. Torii Kiyomitsu I; Japanese, 1735-1785. Date: 1755-1765. Dimensions: 29.8 x 40 cm (11 3/4 x 15 3/4 in.). Color woodblock print; uncut hosoban triptych, benizuri-e. Origin: Japan. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

Escena rural. Museum: FREE LIBRARY PHILADELPH EEUU.

Noble woman in a carriage viewing cherry blossoms 1791-1801 Japan. Color woodblock print; oban triptych . Chôbunsai Eishi

Ishibe ca. 1840 Japan. Ishibe 37246

A ship with sleeping crew, anonymous, 1700 - 1800 One of a series of seven paintings that together represent the miracles of Mazu. China paper. ink One of a series of seven paintings that together represent the miracles of Mazu. China paper. ink

Daruma looking at his reflection. Suzuki Harunobu ; Japanese, 1725 ()-1770. Date: 1762-1770. Dimensions: 11 3/8 x 8 1/4 in. Color woodblock print; chuban. Origin: Japan. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, USA.

'Stealing of Peaches'. China, late 19th - early 20th century. Dimensions: 62x35 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Odawara, Katsushika, Hokusai, 1760-1849, artist, 1804., 1 print : woodcut, color ; 11.4 x 16.6 cm., Print shows two travelers, a woman standing next to a large trunk, possibly pondering an offer made by the other traveler or porter who is sitting next to the trunk, holding a small box in raised left hand; large building, possibly a castle or temple, is in the background on the left.

'Scene from 'Journey to the West''. China, late 19th - early 20th century. Dimensions: 29x51 cm. Museum: State Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

De Reputatie Van Sato Masakiyo, toyohara Kunichika, 1861 print Sato Masakiyo aka Kato Kiyomasa, on horseback, in a fight with Korean opponents; The tiger sheet under his saddle refers to his tiger yachts in Korea; At the top right, severed heads on a bamboo stick. Japan paper color woodcut battle (+ cavalry, horsemen)

Print. Artist: Hishikawa Morofusa (Japanese, active ca. 1685-1715) (). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: 9 1/2 x 13 3/4 in. (24.1 x 34.9 cm). Date: early 18th century. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Toba-e (Comic Picture), c. 1615-99. Japan, Edo period (1615-1868). Handscroll; ink and slight color on paper; overall: 28 x 48.1 cm (11 x 18 15/16 in.).

Foreign Mercantile House in Yokohama (Yokohama ijin shokan) 1861 Japan. Color woodblock print; oban triptych . Utagawa Sadahide

‘A Molted Cicada Shell’ (Utsusemi): Soga Gor? Tokimune,” from the series Scenes amid Genji Clouds Matched with Ukiyo-e Pictures (Genji-gumo ukiyo e-awase) ca. 1845-61 Utagawa Kuniyoshi At night a handsome young warrior slides beneath a tent’s mosquito net to kill the man who murdered his father, but finds no one there. He is Soga Gor? Tokimune, one of two brothers determined to avenge their father’s death. The Soga brothers’ story, a popular theme in Japanese culture, gave rise to Noh, Kabuki, and Bunraku theater pieces as well as prints by ukiyo-e artists. Here, a parallel is drawn between Gor?’s actions and those of Genji in Chapter 3, A Molted Cicada Shell,” in which Genji invades Utsusemi’s sleeping chamber but finds that she has vanished and left behind her thin summer robe.. ‘A Molted Cicada Shell’ (Utsusemi): Soga Gor? Tokimune,” from the series Scenes amid Genji Clouds Matched with Ukiyo-e Pictures (Genji-gumo ukiyo e-awase). Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1797-1861). Japan. c

A Puppet-show: The Story of The Potted Trees. Date: early 18th century. Origin: Japan. Period: Edo period. Ink, color, and gold on paper. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Hanakago, from the series Pictures of No Performances (Nogaku Zue) 1893-1903 Japan. Color woodblock print . Tsukioka Kôgyo

Tammeijiro Genshogo, from the series Tsuzoku Suikoden Goketsu Hyakuhachinin no Hitori Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Japanese, 1798-1861). , ca. 1823. Color woodblock print on paper, 14 5/16 x 10 3/16 in. (36.4 x 25.8 cm). As described in the square box of text in the upper left corner, the bandit Tanmeijiro Genshogo was known for his striking tattoo as well as his ability to stay under water for a long period of time. Kuniyoshi depicts the bandit wrestling with an opponent under water. The water is rendered with great skill, with a layer of modulated blue ink printed over the entire composition. Asian Art ca. 1823

Ōishi Kuranosuke Yoshitaka, Leader of the Forty-Seven Loyal Retainers. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japan, 1839-1892). Japan, 1881. Prints; woodblocks. Color woodblock print

Three Women on the Bank of a River in a Shower Yushid-o Shuncho (Japanese). Three Women on the Bank of a River in a Shower, 1789. Color woodblock print on paper, 14 5/16 x 9 15/16 in. (36.4 x 25.2 cm). Asian Art 1789

Pulling Pine Shoots on the Day of the Rat. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japan, 1839-1892). Japan, 1882, May. Prints; woodblocks. Color woodblock print

Two women in the duel scene / Kagamya. Iwafuji Ohatsu Utagawa, kuniyoshi (1797 1861)

The Peak of Mount Fuji, early 1800s, Katsushika Hokusai, Japanese, 1760 - 1849, 9 15/16 × 15 in. (25.3 × 38.1 cm) (image, sheet, horizontal ōban), Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, Japan, 19th century

Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men) 1897 Ysh (Hashimoto) Chikanobu Japanese. Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men). Ysh (Hashimoto) Chikanobu (Japanese, 1838-1912). Japan. 1897. Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper. Meiji period (1868-1912). Prints

Erotic scene /Shunga Harunobu, Suzuki (1724 1770)

Utagawa Kunisada (also known as Utagawa Toyokuni III) was the most popular, prolific and financially successful designer of ukiyo-e woodblock prints in 19th-century Japan. In his own time, his reputation far exceeded that of his contemporaries, Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kuniyoshi.

Scenes from the Tale of Genji, late 1700s. Japan, Edo period (1615-1868). Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, and gold on gilded paper; image: 154.4 x 351.2 cm (60 13/16 x 138 1/4 in.). Folding screens served as temporary dividers in traditional Japanese open-plan architectural spaces. This pair was inspired by Japans most celebrated work of literature, the Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu, an attendant to the empress in the early 11th-century imperial court. The novel follows the love life of the “Shining Prince” Genji and delves into the psychological states of his many companions. Distinct episodes are nestled within a matrix of golden clouds and landscape elements. Each screen includes six episodes presented in a nonlinear fashion, capturing scattered highlights of the story.

Ezo Shima Kikan, 3 of a set of three scrolls Ezo Shima Kikan, 3 of a set of three scrolls, ca 1840. Ink on paper, braid silk, 10 7/16 x 193 5/16 in. (26.5 x 491 cm). Asian Art ca 1840

Asahina Saburo with pestle and mask; Samurai Asahina Saburo in various roles. The warrior Asahina Saburo, with a drafting face-to-hand, with a bat in the right hand, holds a bat in the right hand and a luck goddess mask, okame, in the left. His pants have a pattern of cherry blossom floating in a light blue river. Spring blossom in the background. The mask and the bat refer to a kind of tag between Hofdames to the old court. The faith was that the one who was ticked would marry the following year.

No. 53. Kusatsu: one of the fifty-three noted places on Tokaido, painted by Hiroshige, 1906 Face of several tea houses with servants in the foreground with carrying baskets. cardboard color woodcut

Fujieda: Changing porters and horses (Fujieda, Jinba Tsugitate), No. 23 from the series "Pi tentA gift for the museum

Tadamori and the Oil Thief. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japan, 1839-1892). Japan, 1882, May. Prints; woodblocks. Color woodblock print

Minamoto no Yoshitsune ( 義経, 1159 - June 15, 1189) was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo (the third son of Yoshitomo) founded the Kamakura shogunate. He is considered one of the greatest and the most popular warriors of his era, and one of the most famous samurai fighters in the history of Japan. Musashibō Benkei (武蔵坊弁慶, 1155-1189), popularly called Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk (sōhei) who served Minamoto no Yoshitsune. He is commonly depicted as a man of great strength and loyalty, and a popular subject of Japanese folklore.

Poem by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro, c. 1835-1836, Katsushika Hokusai; Publisher: Nishimuraya Yohachi, Japanese, 1760 - 1849, 9 7/8 × 14 3/8 in. (25.1 × 36.5 cm) (image, sheet, horizontal ōban), Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper, Japan, 19th century, Around 1835, Hokusai embarked on the enormous project of illustrating one of the one hundred poems contained in the Hyakunin Isshu, an imperial poetry anthology compiled by Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241) in 1235. Instead of attempting to represent the subtleties and complicated allusions of these classical poems, Hokusai illustrated them from the work-a-day viewpoint of a wet nurse. By having such a fictional person explain the poems visually, Hokusai was able to illustrate them in a rather straightforward manner, but also sometimes to intentionally misinterpret the poem for comic effect, all of which could be attributed to the nurse's lack of sophistication. Ultimately the project proved to be overly ambitious, and only twenty

Lady seated in a room for a table, on which two books and writing utensils are lying. Draughtsman: Hishikawa Moronobu. Dating: 1628 - 1694. Measurements: h 263 mm × w 187 mm. Museum: Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Woodblock Print 1797-1858 Japan. Color woodblock print . Utagawa Hiroshige

Double-page Illustration from Vol. 1 of "Picture Book of Spring Brocades (Ehon haru no nishiki)". Suzuki Harunobu ; Japanese, 1725 ()-1770. Date: 1771. Dimensions: 18 x 27.1 cm (7 1/16 x 10 5/8 in.). Color woodblock print; double-page illustration from book. Origin: Japan. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, USA.

Print. Artist: Unidentified Artist. Culture: Japan. Dimensions: 7 1/2 x 10 7/8 in. (19.1 x 27.6 cm). Date: ca. 1908. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

Preparatory Drawings for Humorous Illustrations. Attributed to Kawanabe Kyōsai (Japan, 1831-1889). Japan, 19th century. Drawings. Ink on paper

Fighting Grooms. After Kanō Takanobu (Japan, 1571-1618). Japan, circa 1760. Prints; woodblocks. Page from a woodblock printed book

Views of Kyoto, 1600s. Japan, Edo period (1615-1868). Six-fold screen; ink and color on gold paper; overall: 109.5 x 308.6 cm (43 1/8 x 121 1/2 in.).

Drawings after the Manner of Hishikawa Moronobu. Attributed to Kawanabe Kyōsai (Japan, 1831-1889). Japan, 19th century. Drawings. Ink on paper

A riot of samurai, their heads replaced by objects. Colour woodcut by Yoshitoshi, 1859.

Piece 18th-19th century Japan. Piece 66136

A Competition among Powerful Magicians. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (Japan, 1839-1892). Japan, 1869, 12th month. Prints; woodblocks. Triptych; color woodblock print

Mitsuyama, from the series Pictures of No Performances (Nogaku Zue) 1893-1903 Japan. Color woodblock print . Tsukioka Kôgyo

Japan: Shi Yong or Sekishogun Sekiyu, one of the 'One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Water Margin', attempting to overthrow a retainer of the bandit Horan, with a waterfall in the background. Woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1863), 1827-1830. The Water Margin (known in Chinese as Shuihu Zhuan, sometimes abbreviated to Shuihu, known as Suikoden in Japanese, as well as Outlaws of the Marsh, Tale of the Marshes, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes, or The Marshes of Mount Liang in English, is a 14th century novel and one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Attributed to Shi Nai'an and written in vernacular Chinese.

A confrontation on a shore, the samurai has leaped from his horse which has fallen in the mud; others fight behind him. Colour woodcut by Yoshitora.

Wind-screen and cherry tree by Anonymous / Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. /Japan / Watercolour and ink on paper / Landscape / 148x341

People working on fields by Katsushika Hokusai, color woodcut, circa 1830, 1760-1849, Russia, St. Petersburg, State Hermitage

Genre Scenes (Fuzoku byobu). Artist Unknown; Japanese. Date: 1640. Dimensions: 147.0 cm x 349.0 cm (painting)160.5 cm x 364.0 cm (frame). Six-fold screen; ink, color, gold and silver on paper. Origin: Japan. Museum: The Chicago Art Institute, Chicago, USA.

The Bamboo Fence 1904 United States. Color woodcut on cream Japanese paper . Helen Hyde

Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men) 1897 Ysh (Hashimoto) Chikanobu Japanese. Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men). Ysh (Hashimoto) Chikanobu (Japanese, 1838-1912). Japan. 1897. Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper. Meiji period (1868-1912). Prints

Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men) 1897 Yōshū (Hashimoto) Chikanobu Japanese. Chiyoda Castle (Album of Men) 55894

Fight in The River Between TAKEDA CHIEFS AND UESUGIM / TAKEDA UESUGA KAWANAKAJIMA O KASSEN No Zu Utagawa, kuniyoshi (1797 1861)

A view from Shiba Atago-yama: a shrine with a garden. Colour woodcut by Chikanobu.

Water Margin (known in Chinese as Shuihu Zhuan, sometimes abbreviated to Shuihu), also known as Suikoden in Japanese, as well as Outlaws of the Marsh, Tale of the Marshes, All Men Are Brothers, Men of the Marshes, or The Marshes of Mount Liang, is a 14th century novel and one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Attributed to Shi Nai'an and written in vernacular Chinese, the story, set in the Song Dynasty, tells of how a group of 108 outlaws gathered at Mount Liang (or Liangshan Marsh) to form a sizable army before they are eventually granted amnesty by the government and sent on campaigns to resist foreign invaders and suppress rebel forces. In 1827, Japanese publisher Kagaya Kichibei commissioned Utagawa Kuniyoshi to produce a series of woodblock prints illustrating the 108 heroes of the Suikoden. The 1827-1830 series, called '108 Heroes of the Water Margin' or 'Tsuzoku Suikoden goketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori', made Utagawa Kuniyoshi's famous.

Doitsukokukan naibu kikaiThe Interior Works of an Armed Japanese Battleship. Artist: Unsen (Japanese, active ca. 1875). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: Oban; 14 1/8 x 28 3/8 in. (35.9 x 72.1 cm). Date: 1874 (Meiji 7). Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

The Brazier of Elegance and the Bell of Damnation (Fuga hibachi muken no kane) 1734-1745 Japan. Hand-colored woodblock print; oban, beni-e . Okumura Masanobu

Mariko, Katsushika, Hokusai, 1760-1849, artist, between 1804 and 1818, 1 print : woodcut, color ; 11.4 x 16.5 cm., Print shows two men sprawled on the floor at a rest stop in Mariko on the Tokaido Road.

The Fan-tossing Game. Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III) (Japan, Edo, 1786-1865). Japan, circa 1847-1852. Prints; woodblocks. Triptych: color woodblock prints

The Namazu, also called the Onamazu, is a creature in Japanese mythology and folktales. The Namazu is a gigantic catfish said to cause earthquakes and tremors. Living in the mud under the Japanese isles, the Namazu is guarded by the protector god Kashima, who restrains the catfish using the kaname-ishi rock. Whenever Kashima lets his guard down, Namazu thrashes about and causes violent earthquakes. The Namazu rose to new fame and popularity after the Ansei great earthquakes that happened near Edo in 1855. This led to the Namazu being worshipped as a god of world rectification (yonaoshi daimyojin), sent by the gods to correct some of the imbalances in the world. Catfish woodblock prints known as namazu-e became their own popular genre within days of the earthquake. They were usually unsigned and often depicted scenes of a namazu or many namazu atoning for their deeds. They were quickly squashed by the Tokugawa Shogunate, the prints censored and destroyed, with only a handful surviving

China: A group of scholars playing cuju, an early Chinese version of football. Qing Dynasty painter Huang Shen (1687-1772)

Children's Lantern Float, Sanno Festival ca. 1788 Katsukawa Shun'ei 川春英 Japanese. Children's Lantern Float, Sanno Festival 45242

Mitate gosho-guruma = Parody of an imperial carriage scene, Kitagawa, Utamaro (1753?-1806), (Artist), Date Created: 1798.

Empress Jingu was consort to Emperor Chuai (notionally 192 - 200 CE), she also served as Regent from the time of her husband's death in 209 until her son Emperor jin acceded to the throne in 269. No firm dates can be assigned to this historical figure's life or reign. Jing is regarded by historians as a 'legendary' figure because of the paucity of information about her. Legend has it that she led an army in an invasion of Korea and returned to Japan victorious after three years. However, this theory is widely rejected even in Japan as there is no evidence of Japanese rule in any part of Korea at this early period. Some believe that Empress Jing's conquest is only based on the Gwanggaeto Stele (in Jilin, China). But the legend of Jing's invasion of the Korean peninsula also appears in the ancient Japanese chronicles Kojiki written in 680 and Nihon Shoki written in 720.

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