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| Title: The Courtesan Katsuragi Viewing Plum Blossoms in the Night Artist: Kunisada Toyokuni III Date: 1858 |
Japan experienced both cultural and economical prosperity during the Edo period after the 100 or so years of civil war that preceded this era. At this time, both the wealthy merchants and the commoners, including the artisans and tradespeople, were able to purchase works of art. That is because woodblock prints were much easier to print and replicate than an original painting. This makes it more widely available to the public. The art pictured beautiful maidens, courtesans and court life, kabuki actors, and natural views of Japan. They depicted the rich culture during the Edo period, as well as the transient pleasures that the people now were able to enjoy. The Buddhist phrase ukiyo, meaning"the floating world," was used to describe these pleasures.Therefore, the artwork that depicted these leisures were called ukiyo-e, translated as "pictures of the floating world."
