Woodcut

Woodcuts have mainly been a hallmark of Japanese art. Woodcuts were originally used to produce pictures in Japan, but did not gain serious acceptance until the latter half of the eighteenth century. These woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e as they are called in Japanese, show “pictures of the floating world.”
The motifs often depict famous people such as actors, as well as images from nature and pictures with erotic themes. These woodblock prints have a very special aesthetic, since they are simply stylized and depict motifs filled with great drama, while also displaying an opposite sense of stillness.