Reflections of a Changing Japan: The Evolution of Shin Hanga

Delve into an era of change in Japan, when the past and the present blended to create an art form that was both distinctly Japanese and internationally resonant. Shin Hanga, or “new prints,” emerged in Japan in the early 1900s as a resurgence of the styles and techniques of traditional ukiyo-e printmaking from the Edo period. As Japan industrialized and “Westernized” during the early 20th century, Shin Hanga artists began to revive this former style while embracing new artistic techniques and subject matter. Reflections of a Changing Japan: The Evolution of Shin Hanga explores the rise and fall of this pivotal movement in Japanese printmaking, examining inspirations from traditional subjects, the influence of international travel and Western artists, and the waning interest in the genre after World War II. The exhibition comprises 40 artworks, many of which are on view for the first time, created in the first half of the 20th century through 1959, including works by Yoshida Hiroshi and Yoshida Toshi, who gave a lecture at the Worcester Art Museum in 1954. This exhibition is curated by Fiona Collins, the Museum’s Curatorial Researcher of Asian Art.