In both sumi-e and calligraphy ink is used on silk or paper. In a sumi-e painting only a few strokes are used to create a landscape or animal. In calligraphy a short text or character is created with artistic flair. Ukiyo-e means ‘prints from the fleeting world’ and are of significant aesthetic importance and international acclaim. Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kunisada, Sharaku and Utamaru are world famous woodblock artists.

Stand face to face with a Hokusai print in our Panorama room and discover several Japanese paintings and prints including works by Hokusai.