Edo Pop: Japanese Prints 1825 - 1895

Utagawa Kunisada 歌川 国貞 (1786 - 1865), Kagamiwa of The West Side, 1846, colour print from woodblocks © Collection: Frank Milner.

Initially commissioned as a commercial art form by renowned personas like kabuki actors, geishas, and courtesans, Ukiyk-e prints served as a favoured means of Japanese entertainment before the dawn of photography in the late 1800s. Transporting us to the period 1825 – 1895 in the bustling metropolis of Edo - modern day Tokyo - , this exhibition show us a range of Ukiyo-e prints portraying the characters and daily lives of Edo's locals, from domestic scenes to the entertainment district (Yoshiwara). Meticulously handcrafted, these prints were adored by the residents of Edo. Acquiring one was as simple and affordable as a bowl of noodles .This is the first public display for a number of these works, which were hugely popular in 19th century Japan and also in Europe, where prints were collected by artists including Rossetti, Whistler, Van Gogh and Monet.