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
Waiting Time (Matsutoki)
Woodblock print
Kwannon
Woodblock print
Little Flora - Shibaraku
1950s–1960s
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
TWO GIRLS, Friends, Couple (8)
Woodblock print
Image No.6 Motherhood (1)
Woodblock print
Friend W
Woodblock print
Fly Away (W)
Woodblock print
Les Paradisiers. Menado, Celebes 98/350
1937
Woodblock print
Various artists
1979
Woodblock print
A Picture Contest — 絵合
Woodblock print
Hahakigi
Woodblock print
Prayer Offering
Woodblock print
Ukifune
Woodblock print
Suma
Woodblock print
Sleeping woman — 眠る婦人
Woodblock print
An00023936 001 L
Woodblock print
Personifler 26
Woodblock print
Sleeping Woman (Nemuru onna)
Woodblock print
Nap (Hirune)
Woodblock print
May
Woodblock print
L'Homme Accroupi. Chinois
1947
Woodblock print
L'Attente, Celebes Menado 221/250
1947
Woodblock print
Trois Coreens
August 12, 1935 (Showa)
Watercolor
Paul Jacoulet
1952
Woodblock print
Chapter 2 - Hahakigi
Woodblock print
Couple pretending to be westerners
Woodblock print
European Behavior
1955
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Dutch Man
Woodblock print
Portugese arriving in Nagasaki
Woodblock print
Ten Types of Female Nudes: Reading (Rajo jusshu: Dokusho)
Woodblock print
Reading a Letter
Woodblock print
Dream Games 11 (15/50)
Woodblock print
Hasegawa Sadanobu (Japanese, active mid–19th century)
Woodblock print
Tears (Namida)
Woodblock print
Kitaoka Nizaemon as the villain
Woodblock print
Face B- LE
Woodblock print
Face, Shôwa period,
Woodblock print
Mystery
Woodblock print
New Year's Day
Woodblock print
Intimacy Black and White
Woodblock print
Sorrow
Woodblock print
Facing the Morning Light — 朝の光へ
Woodblock print
Love Letter - 恋文
Woodblock print
Untitled (asada-benji)
Woodblock print
Les Jades. Mandchoukuo
1940
Woodblock print
Les Bons Piments Rouges! Jôhokuri Corée..
January 1954
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Tempete du Coeur, Seoul Coree
Not set
Woodblock print
Marchand de Sel - Coree
February 2, 1936
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Chapter 10 - Sakaki
Woodblock print
Chapter 34 - Young Fresh Greens 1 - 若菜上
Woodblock print
Chapter 15 - Weeds
Woodblock print
The Tale Of Genji Tamakatsura From Lady Murasakis The Tale Of Genji
Woodblock print
Trader showing mirror at Nagasaki
Woodblock print
Military Grand Parade
Woodblock print
Drawing - European Barber
Woodblock print
Paul Jacoulet
Woodblock print
Victor Van Gogh
Woodblock print
The Resting Place, Scutari
1924
Scholten Japanese Art
Woodblock print
Curtain Lecture
1957
Color 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.