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Edo arts were dominated by the woodblock print.
Edo was perhaps the most prolific period in Japanese art history, not only in volume of
works produced but in its diversity of styles. There were more artists and more patrons driving
this flourish of art production than ever before. Ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating
world” or Japanese woodblock prints) are just one important development in the period.
Some artistic schools continued from previous eras, such as the Kano and Tosa, while others
sprouted anew, such as Rinpa and Nanga (definitions of these schools follow in the Artists
and Patrons section). A few women painters affiliated primarily with the Nanga school
achieved renown. The proliferation of styles and models of patronage make the Edo period
a rich, yet complex area of study.
Asian Art Museum Education Department