Jigsaw puzzles from Japan
Woodblock prints
On this page: Hokusai - Other artists
What are "woodblock prints"?
Often referred to as Ukiyo-e, these are historical Japanese prints made with hand-carved wooden blocks. The technique of using a number of blocks to produce multi-coloured images was developed in the 18th century, but the best-known examples are from the early 19th century: perhaps the "Wave", from Hokusai's Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji is the single Japanese work of art best known in the West. With their brilliant colours, and very different approach to composition, these images had a huge impact when they were discovered by western artists—Toulouse-Lautrec, van Gogh, and others—in the age of impressionism at the end of the 19th century.
More information...
- Wikipedia articles: Woodblock printing - Ukiyo-e
- Jum Breen's ukiyo-e gallery (lots more links)
Katsushika Hokusai
The artist Katsushika Hokusai is best known for his series of 36 views of Mount Fuji, in the bold and simple style of the Ukiyo-e (or "floating world") style. He changed his name several times, so this is only the best-known of his brush names; as is the tradition, Hokusai is his given name (a fact that has plainly confused at least one art reference book).
The "thirty-six views" of Mount Fuji are the best-known of Hokusai's work... See the Mt. Fuji puzzles page for photo puzzles and more information about Japan's highest mountain.
 
2000: Wave (Hokusai)The famous wave is the first in the famous series of views of Mt. Fuji. It is more properly known as "In the Hollow of a Wave off the Coast at Kanagawa." The waves not only dwarf the figures in the boats, but manage to make Fuji, seen in the far distance, look positively tiny. 
 In stockAn Epoch puzzle: 2000 pieces; 530 x 380 mm (21" x 15") Code: E54005 (54-005 on package) Retail price ¥2000 (approx. US$13.70 €12.66 £10.87) All about ordering (please read first)
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 2000: Fuji 36 views (Hokusai)The most famous of Hokusai's works, this series is entitled "Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji." Yet the curious puzzler will surely notice that there are a total of 46 pictures making up this collection! Nobody seems to know where the wrong number came from, but probably different collections were published at different times.
In stockAn Epoch puzzle: 2000 pieces; 530 x 380 mm (21" x 15") Code: E54016 (54-016 on package) Retail price ¥2000 (approx. US$13.70 €12.66 £10.87) All about ordering (please read first)
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2000: Red Fuji (Hokusai)Properly known as "Mt. Fuji in clear weather," this is number two in the famous series of thirty-six views by Hokusai.
In stockAn Epoch puzzle: 2000 pieces; 530 x 380 mm (21" x 15") Code: E54022 (54-022 on package) Retail price ¥2000 (approx. US$13.70 €12.66 £10.87) All about ordering (please read first)
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1000: Fuji 36 views (Hokusai)The most famous of Hokusai's works, these are generally known (as the puzzle is titled) as "Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji." In fact, though, there were a total of 46 of these woodcuts, which are all shown on this puzzle.  Permanently unavailableResupply date uncertain A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 720 x 490 mm (28" x 19") Code: B31474 (31-474 on package) Retail price ¥3300 |
This puzzle has TINY pieces!Other artists
 2000: Portrait gallery (Sharaku)A collection of actor portraits by the enigmatic Ukiyo-e artist Sharaku, most of them higly exaggerated... Very little of certainty is known about Sharaku (this is his given name, though it is very likely no-one's real name; his family name, Tōshūsai, is rarely used at all). His works, caricatures of kabuki artists, appeared over the space of less than a year from mid-1794, and then he totally disappeared. Theories abound!
In stockAn Epoch puzzle: 2000 pieces; 530 x 380 mm (21" x 15") Code: E54015 (54-015 on package) Retail price ¥2000 (approx. US$13.70 €12.66 £10.87) All about ordering (please read first)
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 1000: Three beauties of the present day (Utamaro)The "present day" of course refers to the 18th century: this work was created in around 1793, portraying three famous geisha of the time. Their names are written at the top right (in very hard to read old writing; family names are first of course):
Born around 1753, Utamaro was one of the most successful woodblock artists in his own time, specialising in sensuous portraits of women. In stockA Cuties puzzle: 1000 pieces; 500 x 750 mm (20" x 30") Code: C10037 (1000-037 on package) Retail price ¥3600 (approx. US$24.66 €22.78 £19.57) All about ordering (please read first)
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 1000: Otani Oniji (Sharaku)The actor Otani Oniji strikes an intense pose in the role of Yakko Edobei. A classic Sharaku kabuki portrait. Very little of certainty is known about Sharaku (this is his given name, though it is very likely no-one's real name; his family name, Tōshūsai, is rarely used at all). His works, caricatures of kabuki artists, appeared over the space of less than a year from mid-1794, and then he totally disappeared. Theories abound! In stockA Cuties puzzle: 1000 pieces; 500 x 750 mm (20" x 30") Code: C10038 (1000-038 on package) Retail price ¥3600 (approx. US$24.66 €22.78 £19.57) All about ordering (please read first)
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300: Evening snowfall (Hiroshige)A winter scene: Hiroshige's version of one of the renowned "Eight views of Kanazawa" (金澤八景; written from right to left at the top of the picture). This does not refer to the modern city of Kanazawa on the west coast of Japan, but to an area now swallowed up by the city of Yokohama. But the Kanazawa name survives, and there is even a station nearby named Kanazawa-Hakkei ("Eight views"). Hiroshige (1797 – 1858) was inspired by seeing the landscape images of Hokusai, to whom he became a younger rival. He joined the flourishing Utagawa school, and produced thousands of woodblock prints, using the most advanced techniques of the time. He is most famous for his series "The 53 stations of the Tokaido." He is usually known as Utagawa Hiroshige, being his brush name within the school, but he was born into a low-ranking samurai family (with the job of fireman), and so is also sometimes known by his real family name, Ando. In stockA Cuties puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10") Code: C03140 (300-140 on package) Retail price ¥1800 (approx. US$12.33 €11.39 £9.78) All about ordering (please read first)
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300: Temple evening bell (Hiroshige)The temple is Shōmyō-ji (称名寺), though it is not easy to identify Hiroshige's scene with the current location. But we do notice how central water transport was in the early nineteenth century, both for goods and people. The title of this series is Kanazawa Eight Views (金澤八景; written from right to left at the top of the picture); this does not refer to the modern city of Kanazawa on the west coast of Japan, but to an old division of the Yokohama area. Hiroshige (1797 – 1858) was inspired by seeing the landscape images of Hokusai, to whom he became a younger rival. He joined the flourishing Utagawa school, and produced thousands of woodblock prints, using the most advanced techniques of the time. He is most famous for his series "The 53 stations of the Tokaido." He is usually known as Utagawa Hiroshige, being his brush name within the school, but he was born into a low-ranking samurai family (with the job of fireman), and so is also sometimes known by his real family name, Ando. In stockA Cuties puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10") Code: C03139 (300-139 on package) Retail price ¥1800 (approx. US$12.33 €11.39 £9.78) All about ordering (please read first)
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 300: Kagamiiwa vs. Shiranui (Kunisada)A sumo bout from the 19th century... Although not as well known as other woodblock artists of his generation, including Hokusai and Hiroshige, Kunisada (1786 – 1865) was in his time the most commercially successful woodblock artist, with a huge output. He was born Sumida Shōgorō, and when he joined the Utagawa school took part of his brush name Kunisada from his teacher Toyokuni." In stockA Cuties puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10") Code: C03145 (300-145 on package) Retail price ¥1800 (approx. US$12.33 €11.39 £9.78) All about ordering (please read first)
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 300: Sumo ceremonial entranceThis woodblock print by an unknown artist shows the ceremonial entrance of the sumo wrestlers into the ring. In stockA Cuties puzzle: 300 pieces; 260 x 380 mm (10" x 15") Code: C03146 (300-146 on package) Retail price ¥1800 (approx. US$12.33 €11.39 £9.78) All about ordering (please read first)
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