Japan and Its Prints in the Floating World At Sturgis Library

Japanese print enthusiast Tom Silver explores the origin and development of Japanese prints during the Edo era (1600-1867). The first rudimentary prints focused on courtesans and kabuki actors, with the genre ultimately developing into the sophisticated art form admired by the likes of Monet and van Gogh. This lecture encompasses many of the most familiar names in Japanese prints – including Utamaro, Hokusai, and Hiroshige. We will look at early period prints and then focus on masterpieces by each of these artists. At the conclusion of the lecture there will be a display of Japanese crafts from the last two centuries.