The Janet Carson Gallery at The State Theatre will soon be filled with a wealth of art from 19th century master ukiyo-e woodblock printmaker Utagawa Kuniyoshi. For those of you unfamiliar with Utagawa Kuniyoshi, or ukiyo-e, or woodblock printmaking, allow me to break it down for you. 

Ukiyo-e is a style of art that traditionally depicts landscapes, historical events, and pretty much anything beyond the mundane of everyday life. Many ukiyo-e pieces depict supernatural elements of Japanese culture and in most cases themes explored in ukiyo-e were similar to that of the theatrical art of Kabuki.  The fact that ukiyo-e were woodcuts meant that the prints could be reproduced indefinitely, this helped lower the price of art in Japan and bring it into the home of the common enthusiast. 

Kuniyoshi is renowned for bringing humor and legendary subjects into the subject matter of ukiyo-e and is considered one of the most influential Japanese artists of his time. Both ukiyo-e and other forms of woodblock printing were immensely influential on the art world when Japan ended its isolation in the mid 1800s. In fact, ukiyo-e had a huge effect on the art of Vincent van Gogh. 

The Warriors and Whimsy display will be open from August 18 through September 30and is a great opportunity for anyone who appreciates Japanese culture, fine art, or just wants to see something that probably won’t make its way back to Eau Claire for quite some time.