What are Japanese woodblock prints?

Japanese woodblock prints, which date back to the 8th century and are also known as ukiyo-e, are a traditional art form originally produced only in Buddhist monasteries to produce religious texts and images. In the 17th century, private studios began opening as woodblock prints became popular. To make a woodblock print, the artist creates a design on paper, and a wood carver places it on the block and carves the design. Each color requires its own woodblock, which are then covered with watercolors and printed on rice paper. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Japanese woodblock prints from top sellers around the world.

Are Japanese woodblock prints valuable?

Yes, some Japanese woodblock prints are valuable. Prices vary greatly, with some selling for hundreds of dollars and others fetching selling prices of over a million at auction. Makers have a big influence on the price, with prints from masters like Hiroshige, Hokusai and Kitagawa Utamaro often having the greatest value. Other things that determine how much woodblock prints are worth include the quality of the image, the condition of the print, its age, its rarity and the demand among collectors. An expert appraiser or dealer can give you an estimate of the value of a particular print. Explore a selection of Japanese woodblock prints on 1stDibs.

How do I identify Japanese woodblock prints?

To identify Japanese woodblock prints, try using the website Ukiyo-e Search. Simply snap a photo of your print and upload it to the site, which will then compare the image to its database of thousands of prints and quickly display the results. If you have difficulty identifying your print, use the services of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable art dealer who has experience with Japanese art. Shop a large selection of Japanese woodblock prints on 1stDibs.

Japanese Woodblock Prints Shunga

Bamboo Mat

19th Century Erotic Art

19th Century Japanese Woodblock

Couples Erotic

Japanese Erotica

Japanese Edo Period Prints

Art Glass Japan

Asia Erotic

Antique Framed Japanese Shunga Woodblock Print of a Couple Making Love

$1,380

H 13.5 in W 15.5 in D 1 in

Antique Framed Japanese Shunga Woodblock Print of a Couple Making Love

Located in Yonkers, NY

An antique Japanese Shunga woodblock print in gilt frame depicting a man and a woman making love

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Prints

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paint

Antique Framed Japanese Shunga Woodblock Print of a Couple Making Love

$1,380

H 13 in W 7 in D 1 in

Antique Framed Japanese Shunga Woodblock Print of a Couple Making Love

Located in Yonkers, NY

An antique Japanese Shunga woodblock print in gilt frame depicting a man and a woman making love

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Prints

Materials

Glass, Wood

Antique Framed Japanese Shunga Woodblock Print of Two Women Making Love

$1,380

H 13 in W 15.5 in D 1 in

Antique Framed Japanese Shunga Woodblock Print of Two Women Making Love

Located in Yonkers, NY

An antique Japanese Shunga woodblock print in gilt frame depicting two women making love. Created

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Prints

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paint

Japanese Erotic Framed Edo Period Shunga Woodblock Print of Couple, 19th Century

$895

H 17 in W 21.5 in D 1 in

Japanese Erotic Framed Edo Period Shunga Woodblock Print of Couple, 19th Century

Located in Studio City, CA

A wonderful, highly erotic Japanese Shunga woodblock print. This work is likely by the renowned

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Edo Prints

Materials

Paper

Antique Japanese Erotic Shunga Woodblock Print of a Couple in Gilt Frame

$1,380

H 16.5 in W 13.5 in D 1 in

Antique Japanese Erotic Shunga Woodblock Print of a Couple in Gilt Frame

Located in Yonkers, NY

An antique Japanese Shunga woodblock print in gilt frame depicting a man and a woman making love

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Prints

Materials

Glass, Wood

Antique Framed Japanese Shunga Woodblock Print of a Man and a Woman Making Love

$1,380

H 16.5 in W 13.5 in D 1 in

Antique Framed Japanese Shunga Woodblock Print of a Man and a Woman Making Love

Located in Yonkers, NY

An antique Japanese Shunga woodblock print in gilt frame depicting a man and a woman making love

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Prints

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paint

Antique Edo Period Shunga Woodblock Print by Kikukawa Eizan, 1810-1820

$1,036

H 17.72 in W 21.66 in

Antique Edo Period Shunga Woodblock Print by Kikukawa Eizan, 1810-1820

By Kikukawa Eizan

Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland

. Shunga Print Nicely framed Additional information: Material: Paper Region of Origin: Japan Period: 19th

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Edo Prints

Materials

Paper

Recent Sales

Erotic Woodblocks Print ‘Shunga’, Kitagawa Utamaro

Unavailable

H 0.04 in W 14.97 in D 10.01 in

Erotic Woodblocks Print ‘Shunga’, Kitagawa Utamaro

Located in Milano, IT

Negai no itoguchi (Unravelling the threads of desire), 1799 Oban yoko-e Erotic prints have a

Category

Antique 18th Century Japanese Prints

Materials

Paper

Kikugawa EizanEizan Kikugawa, Original Japanese Woodblock Print, Suggestive, Shunga, Erotic, c. 1800s - 1830s

Unavailable

H 15.2 in W 10.24 in D 0.04 in

Eizan Kikugawa, Original Japanese Woodblock Print, Suggestive, Shunga, Erotic

By Kikugawa Eizan

Located in London, GB

soiling. Abuna-e refers to suggestive and sensual images, a substratum of the more explicit shunga [lit

Category

Early 19th Century Edo Figurative Prints

Materials

Handmade Paper, Mulberry Paper, Washi Paper, Pigment, Woodcut

Nobuyoshi ArakiThe Look

Sold

H 59.5 in W 39.5 in

The Look

By Nobuyoshi Araki

Located in New York, NY

pornographic, these works draw upon the tradition of Japanese Shunga, woodblock prints from the 17th century

Category

20th Century Post-Modern Portrait Photography

Materials

C Print

Japanese Antique Woodblock Print Album Erotic Couples Shunga Art, 11 Prints

Sold

H 4 in W 6 in D 0.001 in

Japanese Antique Woodblock Print Album Erotic Couples Shunga Art, 11 Prints

Located in South Burlington, VT

Japanese complete antique palm sized silk covered album of eleven (11) woodblock printed prints of erotic

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Meiji Prints

Materials

Paper

Eisen Shunga, Pair of Japanese Erotic Woodblock Prints

Sold

H 8 in W 11 in D 2 in

Eisen Shunga, Pair of Japanese Erotic Woodblock Prints

Located in New York, NY

Beautiful pair of Japanese Erotic wood block prints, circa mid-19th century. Later framed. Eisen

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Japonisme Prints

Materials

Paper

Two Shunga Woodblock Prints, Erotica by Anonymous, Japan c. 1860

Sold

H 14.5 in W 17.13 in D 1 in

Two Shunga Woodblock Prints, Erotica by Anonymous, Japan c. 1860

Located in Quechee, VT

These colorful Ukiyo-e Shunga woodblock prints of the Utagawa School depicting erotic couplings

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Prints

Two Shunga Woodblock Prints, Erotica by Anonymous, Japan c. 1860

Sold

H 14.5 in W 17.13 in D 1 in

Two Shunga Woodblock Prints, Erotica by Anonymous, Japan c. 1860

By Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)

Located in Quechee, VT

These colorful Ukiyo-e Shunga woodblock prints of the Utagawa School depicting erotic couplings

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Prints

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$1,090 / item

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By Bo Jia for Middle Kingdom

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$1,250 / item

H 16 in W 11.5 in D 11.5 in

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By Streicher Goods, Ethan Streicher

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$1,275 / item

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$6,226 / set

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$681

H 11.03 in W 8.27 in D 0.04 in

Wakana (Gengjie) - Original Woodcut Print by Utagawa Kunisada - 1850s

Located in Roma, IT

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George RomneyPortrait of Lady Caroline Price, 1774

$1,495,000

H 29.5 in W 24.5 in

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By George Romney

Located in Miami, FL

DESCRIPTION: Perhaps the best Romney in private hands. If Vogue Magazine existed in the late 18th century, this image of Lady Caroline Price would be on one of its covers. The e...

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1970s Old Masters Portrait Paintings

Materials

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Robert Bob Stanley"EROTIC II", 1971

$1,500

H 22.5 in W 16.75 in

"EROTIC II"

Located in New York, US

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Pablo PicassoL’Etreinte - Etching by Pablo Picasso - 1963, 1963

$12,133Sale Price|20% Off

H 17.72 in W 21.74 in D 0.04 in

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By Pablo Picasso

Located in Roma, IT

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Japanese Woodblock Print Famous Views of the Sixty-Odd Provinces by Hiroshige

$5,500

H 22 in W 17.5 in D 1 in

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By Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando Hiroshige)

Located in Atlanta, GA

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Jan Nosek Nude Painting, c. Mid-20th Century

$1,400

H 28 in W 22 in D 1 in

Jan Nosek Nude Painting, c. Mid-20th Century

Located in Savannah, GA

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$758Sale Price|20% Off

H 31.89 in W 21.26 in D 0.99 in

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Located in Roma, IT

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$3,100

H 47 in W 32 in D 0.1 in

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Located in Culver City, CA

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Category

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artholomäus Spranger (Antwerp, 1546 – Prague, 1611)Aristotle Phyllis Spranger 16/17th Century Paint Oil on canvas Old master, 1560-1630

$9,612Sale Price|20% Off

H 31.11 in W 28.35 in

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Located in Riva del Garda, IT

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$3,600

H 20 in W 15 in D 0.5 in

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By Hiroshi Yoshida

Located in Atlanta, GA

A Japanese woodblock print by Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950), entitled "Toshogu Shrine", The vertical oban format print was made in Showa 12th year (1937). On the left margin in grey in...

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Erotic Scene - Gouache on Silk, Late 19th Century

$556

H 4.73 in W 6.3 in D 0.04 in

Erotic Scene - Gouache on Silk

Located in Roma, IT

Erotic Scene is a gouache and China ink original painting on silk, realized probably in the second half of XIX century by an anonymous Japanese artist of XIX century, From a collec...

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Questions About Japanese Woodblock Prints Shunga

What are Japanese woodblock prints?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
Japanese woodblock prints, which date back to the 8th century and are also known as ukiyo-e, are a traditional art form originally produced only in Buddhist monasteries to produce religious texts and images. In the 17th century, private studios began opening as woodblock prints became popular. To make a woodblock print, the artist creates a design on paper, and a wood carver places it on the block and carves the design. Each color requires its own woodblock, which are then covered with watercolors and printed on rice paper. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Japanese woodblock prints from top sellers around the world.
Are Japanese woodblock prints valuable?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMarch 13, 2024
Yes, some Japanese woodblock prints are valuable. Prices vary greatly, with some selling for hundreds of dollars and others fetching selling prices of over a million at auction. Makers have a big influence on the price, with prints from masters like Hiroshige, Hokusai and Kitagawa Utamaro often having the greatest value. Other things that determine how much woodblock prints are worth include the quality of the image, the condition of the print, its age, its rarity and the demand among collectors. An expert appraiser or dealer can give you an estimate of the value of a particular print. Explore a selection of Japanese woodblock prints on 1stDibs.
How do I identify Japanese woodblock prints?
1 Answer
1stDibs ExpertMay 30, 2024
To identify Japanese woodblock prints, try using the website Ukiyo-e Search. Simply snap a photo of your print and upload it to the site, which will then compare the image to its database of thousands of prints and quickly display the results. If you have difficulty identifying your print, use the services of a certified appraiser or knowledgeable art dealer who has experience with Japanese art. Shop a large selection of Japanese woodblock prints on 1stDibs.

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