218. Print Cultures in Early Modern Japan
Development of the woodblock print within the popular visual culture of Japan during the Edo period (1615-1868). Examination of the technical, thematic and stylistic development of woodblock prints; the work of individual print designers and schools; and the role of prints as reflection of and stimulus for the "Floating World" of urban popular culture. We will begin with an introduction to the cultural context of Edo Japan and technical aspects of Japanese printmaking, followed by a roughly chronological survey of major developments, genres and designers/publishers. Exploration of issues such as censorship, collaborative artistic production, early modern print cultures, landscape and travel, and representations of gender, sexuality and social status.
(Sean McPherson)