Posted by Vivian on March 25, 2001 at 23:43:56:
I've just recently started researching Ukiyo-e (I'll admit, a school paper provided the impetus), and it's fascinating! I've a few questions though...okay, lots of questions, but I don't want to overwhelm anyone with my ignorance, so I'll just start off slowly. ^^;;
First, can someone please explain to me Hokusai's manga? I know they're 'whimsical pictures' but is there a purpose to them? Or were they just random sketches that he felt like doing?
Second, I know most Ukiyo-e are heavily composed of long flowing lines and characterized by flat blocks of color and a lack of perspective (the early ones anyway...I'm aware that the Western idea of perspective was later brought into use by...by...oh darn, I forgot his name). But are there any other artistic elements specific to Ukiyo-e that distinguish it from the other schools (such as the Kano and Tosa schools)? I mean, how exactly are the lines used? And the patterns on the kimonos of the courtesans in the bijinga...were those specific patterns chosen for some aesthetic purpose? I know that Ukiyo-e artists were masters of design, which is extremely apparent in their hashira-e, but in the oban prints, is there some sort of special design that artists used?
Third, how are ehon, toba-e, and kibyoshi related to Ukiyo-e woodblock prints? I'm a bit confused about how the aforementioned three were developed.
Well, that's about all for now...thank you in advance for any help that you might be able to provide. ^^
~Vivian