NEWS RELEASE ARCHIVES
The Actor's Image: The Japan-Virginia Collection
of Ukiyo-e Prints
September 23, 2000-January 7, 2001
Japanese woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e, were the most popular art form in Japan's Edo period (1603-1868). These prints were produced rapidly, relatively inexpensively, and in large quantity, thus making them exceptionally responsive to the changing demands of the urban society that patronized and influenced art and theater. Developing along side ukiyo-e was the kabuki, a popular form of Japanese drama that incorporated singing, dancing, and acting. As plays and performances inspired print artists, the ukiyo-e in turn promoted the actors, as well as their costumes, make-up, and acting styles.
About 40 prints from the collection of the Japan-Virginia Society represent the prodigious bodies of work of the Utagawa School, including Kunisada II and Hiroshige. These compelling images of theater and life in 19th-century Japan captivate the imagination with their vibrant colors, dramatic action, and intense emotions.
For More Information or Images Please Contact the Chrysler at (757) 664-6200 or museum@chrysler.org
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