ORIGINS OF THE EDO ART
( 江戸)

Woodblock printing is a technique for printing images used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China. In Japan this reproduction process was known as soon as the 8th century.

In the second half of the 17th century the Japanese woodblock prints become a very popular art, and a new style emerged in Edo, today Tokyo, under the name of ukiyo-e ( 浮世絵 ).

Ukiyo-e, meaning "pictures of the floating world", which represent the economical and cultural side of the urban life.

To understand how the Edo Art is born, we need to remember that in the Middle Age of Japan, the art was manly financed by the Bushi or warriors. They asked the artists to magnify their power and virility.

Later on the power shift to the landlords, owners of castles that they asked to be decorated with large and impressive landscape paintings. Flowers, birds and other animals were painted to represent the power of the landlords.

The Edo period is considered as the most prestigious in the Japanese history, as far as art and culture is concerned.

The stability of the Tokugawa dinasty, from 1600 to 1840 was key to this success. The Tokugawa have played a major role in the country unification. In addition to support this stability, they decided to close, progressively the country to the outside world. Japanese emigrants having left the country were refused to come back to Japan, they were subject to dealth penalty if they attempt to re-enter the country.

Art & Culture of Japan