Ukiyo-e

Ukiyo-e, a genre of Japanese woodblock prints that flourished from the 17th through the 19th centuries, sparked the 19th-century Japonism craze in Europe. Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masters such as Vincent van Gogh and Edouard Manet drew heavily from its flat coloring, unique perspective, and bold cropping, fundamentally transforming Western modern painting. Today, featured in world-class institutions including the Louvre and the Met, ukiyo-e remains Japan’s most globally recognized visual art.