Japanese pictures in our online shop: An overview of our works of art

Here in our Kakemono online store we offer you a selection of different Japanese works of art. To give you an idea of the different types of artwork, we would like to give you a brief overview here.

Kakemono: Kakemono, sometimes also called Kakejiku, are the classic Japanese scroll paintings. Hung in portrait format, they are usually made of paper or silk and painted with ink or watercolors. The round rods at the top and bottom make it easy to roll the painting up and down. Japanese paintings in the Kakemono category have a long history in Japan and are traditionally hung in a special picture niche called Tokonoma, especially in honor of a special guest - who then sits with their back to the painting. This place of honor makes the guest a part of the work of art.

Shikishi: Shikishi are Japanese pictures that are drawn on drawing paper and given as gifts on special occasions. The motifs are varied and range from traditional images such as animals and landscapes to scenes from Noh theater and calligraphy and autographs from Japanese artists. In this category we also offer Japanese pictures called Oshie: special collages made from different materials such as paper, strings, and widths that lead to a three-dimensional result.

Makimono: Makimono are Japanese pictures that are presented on rolls, just like the Kakemono. Unlike Kakemono, however, they are presented horizontally and not vertically; they are therefore Japanese pictures in landscape format. A Japanese scroll painting in the Makimono category is usually rolled out on the floor and admired, and otherwise stored rolled up.

Ukiyo-e: Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art. Japanese pictures from Ukiyo-e are the "pictures of the floating world" and depict scenes from everyday life in the Edo period. In this particular era of Japanese history, a new urban middle class developed in Japan, whose attitude to life and world view are reflected in this genre. Strictly speaking, only these prints are Ukiyo-e. Over time, however, the term has become commonplace for Japanese pictures that were created using the color woodblock printing process. This means that Japanese pictures that depict other motifs than those mentioned are now also included in Ukiyo-e.