Astonishing Brushwork
The brushwork in Japanese woodblock prints is what conveys emotion. Japanese prints are very linear and two dimensional. The range of emotion one line can convey can be anywhere from anger to tranquility to lust.
The spiritual influences of most of the prints of the ukiyo-e era, Shinto, Buddhist, Confucious, is to reach spiritual balance during life and/or after death.
In some of the prints, especially the landscapes, these lines also convey a sense of motion and life. These are the most important asthetic aspects of these prints because they were often used in religious ceremonies, or more importantly, they were used in personal meditation.
Click here for a close-up view of Two Herons by Noami and a clear view of the brushwork.
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