Japanese Woodblock Print

Celebrated for their expressive and organic qualities of woodcut and distinctive aesthetic, Japanese woodblock print represents the spirit of ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world,” a genre capturing the ephemeral pleasures of everyday life, popular in Japan during the Edo period (1603 – 1868). The carefully curated collection of the 17th-19th century original Japanese print for sale on Bidsquare antique auctions features an extensive selection of prints and includes works by Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige, Andō Hiroshige, Kitagawa Utamaro, Kikugawa Eizan, and other masters of the Japanese art

Using vivid colors and bold lines, these highly collectible, and beautiful prints depicted the transitory world of seductive courtesans and the beautiful Kabuki actors of the urban pleasure districts. With time, this highly populist art expanded to include the enjoyment of the natural world and dramatic historical events. 

History of Antique Japanese Woodblock Print     

While the Buddhist term ukiyo expressed the melancholy transience of life, the concept gradually shifted its reference to the world of sensual and hedonistic pleasures during the 17th century.  Initially, the woodblock printing process began with simple black and white prints with occasional hand tint to reproduce hand-painted scrolls and screens of everyday life. But by the mid 19th century, the talent and innovation of Japanese artists, and innovations in printers’ art led to the creation of color print art of breathtaking beauty and technical merit. Woodblock printing continued as a preferred and popular method of practice in the ukiyo-e genre for decades.  Artists like Andō Hiroshige, Kitagawa Utamaro, and Katsushika Hokusai are in the pantheon of Japanese masters who helped elevate the style to world-class works of art today.

These highly collectible, and beautiful Japanese woodblock prints for Sale have attracted collectors and bidders alike, and have delivered consistently impressive sales results on Bidsquare online auction

Quick Facts about Japanese Woodblock Print

  • In the Well of the Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai is probably the best known Japanese work of art to set a world auction record for a Japanese woodblock print. 
  • During the 19th century, Japanese woodblock prints also became popular in Europe, trending as “Japonisme”, and have inspired many famous artists such as Van Gogh, Monet, Henri Toulouse-Lautre, and Whistler.
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  • Kunisada II And Toyokuni III, Woodblock Prints on Paper, Ca. Mid 19th
    Estimate
    $200 - $400

    Kunisada II And Toyokuni III, Woodblock Prints on Paper...

    Est.
    $200 - $400
    DuMouchelles
    0 Bids
    Starting Bid
    $100
  • Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni Iii) (Japanese, 1786-1864) Woodblock Prints on Paper, Ca. Mid 19th, 'Kabuki Actors'
    Estimate
    $200 - $400

    Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni Iii) (Japanese, 1786-1864) W...

    Est.
    $200 - $400
    DuMouchelles
    0 Bids
    Starting Bid
    $100
  • After Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, 1753-1806) Woodblock Print on Paper, , Ca. 2000, 'Kisegawa of the Matsubaya'
    Estimate
    $100 - $200

    After Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, 1753-1806) Woodblock ...

    Est.
    $100 - $200
    DuMouchelles
    1 Bid
    Current Bid
    $50
  • Japanese Block Prints
    Estimate
    $5 - $500

    Japanese Block Prints

    Est.
    $5 - $500
    Dovetail Auctions
    0 Bids
    Starting Bid
    $5
  • RARE KIKUGAWA EIZAN Pentaptych "17 Children" Five Sheets of an Ōban Tate-e
    Price$650

    RARE KIKUGAWA EIZAN Pentaptych "17 Children" Five Sheet...

    King Art & Antiques
    Buy Now Price
    $650
  • 12 Japanese woodblock prints
    Estimate
    $200 - $400

    12 Japanese woodblock prints

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Junichiro Sekino (Japanese, 1914-1988) woodblock
    Estimate
    $300 - $500

    Junichiro Sekino (Japanese, 1914-1988) woodblock

    Est.
    $300 - $500
  • Kiyoshi Saito (Japanese, 1907-1997) woodblock
    Estimate
    $200 - $400

    Kiyoshi Saito (Japanese, 1907-1997) woodblock

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Kiyoshi Saito (Japanese, 1907-1997) woodblock
    Estimate
    $600 - $900

    Kiyoshi Saito (Japanese, 1907-1997) woodblock

    Est.
    $600 - $900
  • Kawase Hasui (Japanese, 1883-1957) woodblock
    Estimate
    $600 - $900

    Kawase Hasui (Japanese, 1883-1957) woodblock

    Est.
    $600 - $900
  • Hodaka Yoshida (Japanese, 1926-1995) woodblock
    Estimate
    $200 - $400

    Hodaka Yoshida (Japanese, 1926-1995) woodblock

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Kawase Hasui (Japanese, 1883-1957) woodblock
    Estimate
    $600 - $900

    Kawase Hasui (Japanese, 1883-1957) woodblock

    Est.
    $600 - $900
  • Woodblock by Utagawa Hiroshige, Nihonbashi Bridge in Snow
    Estimate
    $200 - $400

    Woodblock by Utagawa Hiroshige, Nihonbashi Bridge in Sn...

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $200 - $300

    Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $200 - $300
  • Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $200 - $300

    Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $200 - $300
  • Japanese Woodblock Print Triptych
    Estimate
    $150 - $250

    Japanese Woodblock Print Triptych

    Est.
    $150 - $250
  • Japanese Woodblock Print Triptych
    Estimate
    $100 - $150

    Japanese Woodblock Print Triptych

    Est.
    $100 - $150
  • Japanese Woodblock Print by Toyokuni
    Estimate
    $150 - $250

    Japanese Woodblock Print by Toyokuni

    Est.
    $150 - $250
  • Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $100 - $300

    Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $100 - $300
  • Two Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $100 - $150

    Two Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $100 - $150
  • Antique Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $100 - $150

    Antique Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $100 - $150
  • Antique Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $80 - $100

    Antique Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $80 - $100
  • Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $400 - $800

    Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $400 - $800
  • Japanese Woodblock Print by Foujita
    Estimate
    $1,000 - $1,500

    Japanese Woodblock Print by Foujita

    Est.
    $1,000 - $1,500
  • Two Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $150 - $250

    Two Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $150 - $250
  • Two Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $100 - $200

    Two Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Antique Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $150 - $250

    Antique Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $150 - $250
  • Signed Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $50 - $100

    Signed Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $50 - $100
  • Japanese Woodblock Print, Signed
    Estimate
    $150 - $250

    Japanese Woodblock Print, Signed

    Est.
    $150 - $250
  • Antique Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $150 - $250

    Antique Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $150 - $250
  • Two Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $100 - $150

    Two Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $100 - $150
  • Group of 2 Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $100 - $200

    Group of 2 Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $300 - $500

    Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $300 - $500
  • Japanese Color Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $100 - $200

    Japanese Color Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $100 - $200
  • Two Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $200 - $300

    Two Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $200 - $300
  • Two Antique Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $300 - $400

    Two Antique Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $300 - $400
  • Antique Japanese Woodblock Print
    Estimate
    $300 - $400

    Antique Japanese Woodblock Print

    Est.
    $300 - $400
  • A JAPANESE KABUKI WOODBLOCK PRINT
    Estimate
    $500 - $700

    A JAPANESE KABUKI WOODBLOCK PRINT

    Est.
    $500 - $700
  • Japanese Woodblock Print by Kiyoshi Saito
    Estimate
    $350 - $450

    Japanese Woodblock Print by Kiyoshi Saito

    Est.
    $350 - $450
  • Three Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $300 - $400

    Three Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $300 - $400
  • Two Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $400 - $600

    Two Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $400 - $600
  • Set of Three Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $200 - $400

    Set of Three Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • (6) Japanese Woodblock Prints of Geishas & Actors.
    Estimate
    $400 - $600

    (6) Japanese Woodblock Prints of Geishas & Actors.

    Est.
    $400 - $600
  • Two Antique Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $80 - $150

    Two Antique Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $80 - $150
  • Signed Japanese Woodblock Print of a Volcano.
    Estimate
    $1,000 - $1,500

    Signed Japanese Woodblock Print of a Volcano.

    Est.
    $1,000 - $1,500
  • Japanese Woodblock Print by Kiyoshi Saito
    Estimate
    $350 - $450

    Japanese Woodblock Print by Kiyoshi Saito

    Est.
    $350 - $450
  • Group of 3 Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $200 - $400

    Group of 3 Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $200 - $400
  • Two Antique Japanese Woodblock Prints
    Estimate
    $100 - $200

    Two Antique Japanese Woodblock Prints

    Est.
    $100 - $200