FLOATING WORLDS, LANDSCAPES AND HEROES

Woodblock prints are a widely recognized and iconic form of Japanese art, celebrated for their one-of-a-kind process and distinctive aesthetic. They have no Western equivalent, one where breathtaking landscapes exist alongside blush-inducing erotica; where courtesans, kabuki actors, and sumo wrestlers are celebrities; and where demons and otherworldly creatures torment the living.

Woodblock printing in Japan dates back to the 8th century, when it was used to reproduce texts, especially Buddhist scriptures. It wasn’t until the early 1500s that books were printed with illustrations, which in turn paved the way for standalone images.

Initial images were black-and-white sumizuri-e prints made with black ink. An artist’s drawing would be transferred from paper to a cherry-wood block, which was carved and then inked, before blank sheets