The present edition is the result of a long and demanding research process, devoted to the systematic documentation, study, and presentation of an exceptional group of Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) from the collections of the Museum of Asian Art. The volume aims to introduce the reader to the world of Japanese woodblock printing through an analysis of printing techniques, the use of colour, and thematic subjects drawn from everyday life, the theatre, and the pleasure quarters. At the same time, it examines the decisive contribution of these works to the formation of European artistic thought in the nineteenth century, with particular emphasis on Impressionism, highlighting Japanese printmaking as a field of cultural exchange and an enduring dialogue between different cultures and historical periods.

This art catalogue was published within the framework of the project ‘Re-arrangement of Accessible Museum Storage Facilities, Conservation Laboratories and Promotional Activities at the Museum of Asian Art’, implemented under the OP ‘Ionian Islands 2014–2020’ and the Programme ‘Ionian Islands 2021–2027’, with co-funding from the European Union.

Publication date 2025 Number of pages 339 ISBN 978-618-82702-5-1 Language: English