Ukiyo-e

Meaning pictures of the floating world in Japanese, it is the primary woodblock printing approach in Japan and originated in the late 17th century in the metropolitan culture of Tokyo. Originally executed with India ink and depicting serene environments, which appealed to the elite, they have became widely popular because evolving methods allowed multi color and mass production. The early subjects depicted city life, especially &#39;fantasy&#39;, but have become increasingly &#39;risque&#39; with theatre world entertainments including explicit sexual subjects. Source: Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukiyo-e<br><br>In Japanese art, genre painting and prints, especially those of the Edo period.Some related sites: Ukiyo-e