Figures Prints (1669)
Figure compositions are among the most diverse subjects in Japanese printmaking, encompassing everything from intimate domestic scenes to grand historical narratives. The tradition spans the full history of ukiyo-e, from Moronobu's pioneering single-sheet prints of the 1670s to contemporary figure studies that blend traditional techniques with modern sensibilities. In the ukiyo-e era, figure prints often depicted courtesans, actors, and townspeople of Edo's pleasure quarters, capturing the fashions, gestures, and social dynamics of urban life. The shin-hanga movement brought a more contemplative approach, with artists like Ito Shinsui creating elegant figure studies that emphasized mood and atmosphere over narrative action. Sosaku-hanga artists pursued more experimental figure work, from Onchi Koshiro's abstract portraits to Sekino Jun'ichiro's bold character studies. Figure prints in the Japanese tradition are notable for their attention to textile patterns, body language, and the suggestion of inner life through subtle compositional choices. Whether depicting a single standing figure or a complex multi-figure narrative, these works reveal the printmaker's skill in translating human presence into the woodblock medium.
Artists Known for Figures
Hirushana Butsu
1937
Woodblock print
Image No.6 Motherhood (1)
Woodblock print
Rest
Woodblock print
Skater (Descriptive Title)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hirezaki-eiho)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hirezaki-eiho)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
TotalCount
1929
Woodblock print
Untitled (paul-jacoulet)
1947
Woodblock print
Number 4 (1)
1969
Woodblock print
TotalCount
circa 1970s (this item: First edition)
Woodblock print
Ono no Komachi
小野小町
1994
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (elizabeth-keith)
Woodblock print
Number 3 (1)
1969
Woodblock print
Shark-Spot Pattern - 鮫小紋
circa 1970s (this item: First edition)
Woodblock print
Hokusai Reborn: Buddhist Deity on Dragon
2023
Woodblock print
Cloud Cleaner
2022
Mokuhanga
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (kazuma-oda)
Woodblock print
Number 5 (1)
1969
Woodblock print
Narcissos, Inspired by Marcus Enckel
2022
Mokuhanga
Echo, Inspired by Alexandre Cabanel
2022
Mokuhanga
Urban Holiday
2016
Mokuhanga
Sweet Dreams
2016
Mokuhanga
Self Study
2015
Mokuhanga
Moonlit Swim
2014
Mokuhanga
Dream Seller
2012
Mokuhanga
New Moon (From Yoshitoshi Series)
2011
Mokuhanga
Wake of Pure Heart
2007
Mokuhanga
Magic Blanket
2006
Mokuhanga
6 Dreams of Ukiyo Beauty: Ease
2008
Mokuhanga
Obon in Kyoto
1990
Mokuhanga
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Kiss — くちづけ
Not set
Woodblock print
Untitled (hiyoshi-mamoru)
Woodblock print
Crimson
Not set
Woodblock print
Number 1 (1)
1969
Woodblock print
Number 2 (1)
1969
Woodblock print
The Lesson — レッスン
1974
Woodblock print
Sunday Best — 晴着
Not set
Woodblock print
Pose - ポーズ
1984
Woodblock print
Related Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Figure compositions are among the most diverse subjects in Japanese printmaking, encompassing everything from intimate domestic scenes to grand historical narratives. The tradition spans the full history of ukiyo-e, from Moronobu's pioneering single-sheet prints of the 1670s to contemporary figure studies that blend traditional techniques with modern sensibilities.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Ogata Gekko, and Utagawa Kuniyoshi are among the artists most associated with figures in our collection. Browse the full list of artists who explored this subject above.
Hanga currently catalogues 1669 prints tagged with figures, spanning ukiyo-e, shin-hanga, and sōsaku-hanga traditions where applicable.