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The Stuart Jackson Gallery is the oldest gallery dealing in antique
Japanese woodblock prints, Ukiyo-e, in Canada.
Ukiyo-e, meaning 'pictures of the floating world', was the most
popular art form of 17th -19th century Japan. 'Ukiyo' was a Buddhist
term referring to the melancholy transience of life. The concept
was punningly altered to mean the fleeting pleasures of everyday
life. Ukiyo-e depicted these pleasures, primarily through the
medium of woodblock prints.
The pleasures that were most commonly illustrated were: the theater (Kabuki, Noh, etc); beautiful women; and the enjoyment of the natural world (landscapes, nature). Other subjects included shunga (erotica); current and historical events, legends, and more.
The style began in the 17th century with simple black and white
prints which were occasionally hand tinted. One or two color blocks
were added to the printing process during the first half of the
18th century and by 1765 full color printing had developed. By
the mid 19th century the printers art had reached its pinnacle
with such subtle innovations as shading of colors, metallic pigments,
and embossing. The talent and innovation of the 18th-19th century
Japanese artists combined to create color print art of unsurpassed
beauty and technical merit.
All of the prints on display are for sale. For prices or further
information on these and the many other prints we currently have
in stock, please Contact Us.
We also BUY Japanese prints (individual or collections).
Conditions of Sale
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