Category Archives: Floating World

Japanese Scrolls, Shunsen and Images of the Exotic

Posted on March 24, 2023 by toshidama

The Toshidama Gallery is currently showing an important collection of five vertical diptychs by the artist Katsukawa Shunsen (1762-1830). All five in the set were once mounted on hanging scrolls that were considerably longer than the double oban print. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Bijin, Floating World, geisha, Japanese prints, Japanese Scrolls, japanese woodblock prints, Puccini, Shunsen, ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art, Yoshiwara | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tales in Japanese Woodblock Prints

Posted on February 9, 2022 by toshidama

The January 2022 exhibition at the Toshidama Gallery looks at prints that tell a story… which is of course the vast majority of the output of Japanese kabuki theatre and history prints. The absence of still-life for example, and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Edo, firemen, Floating World, Hirosada, Japanese Art, japanese woodblock prints, ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Telegraph Poles and Marcel Duchamp, Yoshimori and Puvis de Chavannes

Posted on October 19, 2021 by toshidama

The enigmatic picture above by the Japanese artist Yoshimori, is something of a favourite. It belongs to a long series of prints by various artists celebrating the many post stations along the long Tokaido Highway that connects the administrative capital … Continue reading →

Posted in Aesthetic Movement, Floating World, Japanese Art, Toshidama Gallery., ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Wormholes in Japanese Prints

Posted on January 18, 2021 by toshidama

The print pictured below is a very rare warrior triptych by Kunisada; a musha-e. The worm damage is very minor but it set me thinking about the extraordinary history embodied in these three sheets of paper. Continue reading →

Posted in Asian Art, Floating World, japanese woodblock prints, Kunisada, musha-e, samurai, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Kabuki All-Stars #3 Benkei

Posted on April 20, 2020 by toshidama

To download this Benkei Kabuki card as a PDF, click this link.

Posted in Edo, Floating World, Japanese Art, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Tokugawa Clan, Toshidama Gallery. | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bandits and Warlords. Fighting men in Japanese prints.

Posted on September 27, 2019 by toshidama

The Toshidama Gallery is showing a collection of prints featuring aggressive and violent folk heroes and warlords. The selection looks at how the populace of Edo expressed their frustration with the government and with the increasingly corrupt samurai class. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian Art, Floating World, Japanese Art, Japanese gangster, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunisada, Kuniyoshi, Male Tragedy, Otokodate, Suikoden, yoshitoshi | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sugoroku Magic – Narukami shonin

Posted on August 22, 2019 by toshidama

Below the great rat of Yoshitaka on the sugoroku board we are featuring, is this splendid figure in feiry robes and clouds of smoke. It is the magician Narukami. Narukami lived in a hermitage near a waterfall in which he … Continue reading →

Posted in Edo, Floating World, ghosts, Japanese Demon, Kunisada, Magical, supernatural Japanese print, Toshidama Gallery., ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Sugoroku Magic – Shimidzu no Kwanja Yoshitaka

Posted on July 30, 2019 by toshidama

What a spendid rat! The magician riding along here is not Nikki Danjo – the great kabuki villain who transforms into a rat in order to steal a valuable scroll – this chap is Shimidzu no Kwanja Yoshitaka. He was … Continue reading →

Posted in Edo, Floating World, Japanese Art, Japanese prints, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, Magical, supernatural Japanese print, Toshidama Gallery. | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Sugoroku Magic – Jiraiya

Posted on July 25, 2019 by toshidama

A series of magicians and ghosts all taken from squares on a nineteenth century sugoroku board by the artist Kunichika Continue reading →

Posted in Asian Art, Edo, Floating World, Japanese Art, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, Kunisada, Magical, Sugoroku, Toshidama Gallery., ukiyo-e, ukiyo-e art | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sugoroku Magic – Princess Yuki

Posted on July 16, 2019 by toshidama

The image above is the top centre panel from an amazing Sugoroku game board designed by the artist Toyoharu Kunichika in the 1860’s. You can see the whole board at the Toshidama Gallery website by clicking this link: Sugoroku Board. … Continue reading →

Posted in Floating World, japanese woodblock prints, kabuki theatre, Kunichika, Sugoroku, supernatural Japanese print | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment