Woodblock Prints

Japanese Woodblock Prints span genres of Ukiyo-e, Pictures of the Floating World, to Shin Hanga, "New" Prints, to Sosaku Hanga, or Creative Prints. The first two involved collaborations among designer artists, carvers, printers, and publishers and were a true media-type of art form created by craft artisans. Sosaku Hanga brought about the merger of artisan and artist in a single person who created their own print works from design to carved block to printed image. Japanese prints have been appreciated world-wide for both the beauty of their artistic design and also the beauty of their artisan craftsmanship.