Glossary

Aiban:

Aizuri-e:

"blue printed picture"

Atozuri:   

later impression of a woodblockprint (this term is mainly used for prints of the early 20th century especially for Shin-Hanga prints)

Azuchi-Momoyama:

period from 1573 - 1603

Bijin-ga:  

picture(s) of beautiful women

Bokashi:

gradation of colour in woodblock prints

Byôbu:

folding screen

Chûban: 

print size: c. 28 x 19 cm

Daimyô:

powerful feudal lord

Diptych:

picture made of two parts

Edo:

former name for Tokyo, "Eastern Capital"

Edo:

period from 1603 - 1867

Egoyomi:

calender-print(s)

Emakimono:

horizontal handscroll

Ga:

picture, drawing, painting

Geisha:

professional female companion for men in Japan, trained in music, dancing and the art of conversation

Gofun:

opaque white pigment made of calcium carbonate

Hana:

flower(s)

Hanga:

print, general term for woodblock print(s)

Hashira-e:

"pillar-print", long and narrow print c. 70 x 20 cm

Haori:

jacket worn over a kimono

Heian:

period from 794 - 1185, with Kyôto as capital

Imari ware:

japanese porcelain ware, made in the town of Arita

Inari (kami):

god/goddess of rice, fertility and foxes

Jizuri-seal:

"self-printed" (you find this seal especially on prints by Hiroshi Yoshida)

Kabuki:

traditional japanese theatre

Kachô-ga:

picture(s) of birds and flowers

Kagura:

traditional dance with musik in shinto-shrines

Kakemono:

japanese scroll

Kimono:

japanese traditional garnment

Kira-zuri:

printing with mica background

Koban:

print size, c. 9,5 x 13 cm

Kokeshi:

japanese wooden doll

Manga:

caricature, cartoon

Meiji: 

period from 1868 - 1912

Mingei: 

folk art

Moku-hanga:

woodblock print

Mon:

japanese heraldic symbol, family emblem

Musha-e:  

warrior picture

Nihonga:

japanese style painting(s)

Ningyô:

japanese doll(s)

Nishiki-e:  

multi-coloured woodblock print

Nô:

classical japanese dance theatre

Oban:  

print size, c. 39 x 26 cm

Obi: 

sash for a traditional japnese dress, lika a kimono

Ogi:

folding fan

Okimono: 

small japanese carving

Ôkubi-e:

portrait print

Onnagata:

"woman role" male actors played the role of a woman in kabuki theatre

Origami:

japanese folding art

Satsuma:

japanese earthenware (originally from Satsuma region, today southern Kyûshû)

Sensu:

folding fan

Shin:

new

Shin-hanga:

 "new (woodblock) prints", art movement in the early 20th century in Japan

Shintô:

japanese ethnic religion

Shikishiban:

print size, c. 24 x 25 cm

Shô:

musical instrument, wind instrument

Shôwa:

period from 1926 - 1989

Shoki-zuri: 

early prints of a woodcut (this term is primarily used for woodblock prints of the 20th century, shin-hanga prints)

Shunga:

erotic paintings, drawings or prints "spring pictures"

Sôsaku:

creative

Sôsaku-hanga:

"creative (woodblock) print(s)", art movement of the early 20th century in Japan

Sumizuri-e:

"ink printed picture(s)" monochrome printing, using only black ink

Surimono:

small woodblock print(s) c. 20,5 x 18,5 cm, made for special occasions like New Year etc.

Tetsubin:

teapot, kettle

Taishô:

period from 1912 - 1926

Tansu:

traditional japanese furniture, chest(s)

Tanzaku:

print size, c. 38 x 16 cm

Tôkaidô:

"East Sea Road" most important road, connecting Edo (Tokyo) to Kyôto

Tokugawa:

Shôgun-family in Edo

Tokugawa:

period from 1603 - 1867 (= Edo-period)

Torii:

gate, most commonly at the entrance of a Shinto area

Triptych:

picture made of three parts

Uchiwa:

japanese rigid fan

Ukiyo-e: 

"picture(s) of the floating world" art genre popular in the Edo and early Meji period, artists created paintings and woodblock prints with various subjects like, beautiful woman, actors, landscapes etc.