Japanese Woodblock Prints

Exhibition: 7 February – 8 March 2025

Gallagher & Turner are pleased to present an exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints, from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The exhibition showcases works from the Edo, Meiji and Shin-Hanga eras, and features artists such as Kunisada, Kunichika, Hirosada and many more.

The works in this exhibition are examples of the Ukiyo-e art form; a high-water mark period in the history of Japanese woodblock printing. Ukiyo-e translates to “pictures of the floating world” and references the urban lifestyle of the Ukiyo era in Edo period Japan (1600 – 1867).

The movement has its origins in the city of Edo (modern day Tokyo), where, following the city’s rapid economic growth, craftsmen and workers from the lower social classes began to see an upturn in their fortunes, freeing up their time and money. Ukiyo-e artists began to depict scenes from the hedonistic culture that arose around them, and which they experienced themselves. Their prints showcased kabuki theatre, geisha and courtesans – as well as the beauty of the natural world around their cities.

Prints were produced widely, and included in books, scrolls or as loose sheets for decoration. Artists, who designed the works, began working with carvers, printers and publishers to produce and promote their pieces more widely. Designs would be copied and transferred on to cherry wood – favoured for its consistency and fine grain. For black and white prints, one block would be carved, but for multicoloured prints separate blocks for each colour would need to be made. The blocks were then inked up, and a handmade paper (often made from the bark of mulberry trees) laid over the top. A pad would then be rubbed on the back of the paper, thus creating the print. Ukiyo-e works would be printed by hand, meaning artists were able to achieve effects that machine printing could not – such as the characteristic gradation of colours you see in Bokashi printing.

The works on show span three centuries and highlight the range of subject matter and styles across theUkiyo-eartists across Japan. The art form has created some of the world’s most enduring imagery, are highly collectable, and remains influential to artists and printmakers to this very day.