Colours of Japan

The exhibition "Colours of Japan - Woodblock Prints from the Collection of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek" presents masterpieces of Japanese woodblock prints from three centuries: from the beginnings of multicolour printing in the mid-18th century to shin-hanga, the so-called "new prints" of the 20th century.

In Japan during the Edo period (1603 - 1868), "pictures of the flowing world" (ukiyo-e), as these prints are also known, were an integral part of urban life and entertainment culture. Popular motifs included beauties, stage stars and landscapes. What distinguishes the Japanese colour woodblock print is the combination of artistic excellence and craftsmanship. Works by artists such as Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige, Yoshitoshi and Hasui reveal the special stylistic features and diverse cultural and historical references of this art form. Originating as commercial art and produced in large numbers, many prints are now regarded as works of art of the highest calibre.

When Japanese colour woodblock prints reached Europe and North America in large numbers from the middle of the 19th century, they met with an almost enthusiastic reception there. In works of Impressionism, Art Nouveau and other art movements - such as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Gustav Klimt - they left a diverse and unmistakable mark. To this day, they exert an unbroken fascination: through their special aesthetics, their wealth of patterns and details, their visual language and not least through their colourfulness.

Around 130 original exhibits from the library's collection are on display. These include lavishly illustrated books, rare triptychs and single-sheet prints such as Hokusai's world-famous work "Under the Wave in the Sea off Kanagawa", known as the "Great Wave". This icon of art has been acquired for the collection in recent years, as have two other outstanding works by Hokusai, "Summer Storm at the Foot of the Mountain" and "South Wind, Clear Weather", known as "Red Fuji". All three prints are from the famous woodblock print series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji", which was published from 1830 onwards. The prints will be a highlight of the exhibition.

In addition, individual themes will be explored in greater depth at various points in the museum and various works will be shown as large-format reproductions, revealing the detailed execution of the prints.

The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library)'s Japan collection currently comprises around 90,000 printed volumes, 100 manuscripts and 1,000 broadsides. In the woodcut books and broadsides in the collection, the technique of woodcutting, which has been practised for centuries, becomes tangible in its craftsmanship and aesthetic forms of expression. With "Colours of Japan", the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) is dedicating a separate exhibition to its Japanese woodblock prints for the first time in its history.

Last edited on 07.07.2025