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

$1,375

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

$1,375

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

$1,375

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.

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

Shunga is a type of Japanese erotic art typically executed as Ukiyo-e woodblock prints and in some rare instances as scrolls Shunga means "spring pictures" and was popular primarily...

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Edo Prints

Materials

Paper

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

$1,375

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

$1,375

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

$686

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

Kikukawa Eizan (1787-1867) Dated 1810-1820. The text is about thing happening between lovers. Shunga Print Nicely framed Additional information: Material: Paper Region of Origin: Ja...

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 primary role in the Japanese art history: sexual pleasure is transported on paper wit...

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

Artist: Eizan Kikugawa (1787-1867) Title: Abuna-e, Smoking Date: c. 1800s -1830s Dimensions: 38.6 x 26 cm Condition: Centrefold. Some restored wormholes. Faint stain on the centre r...

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

Many of these oft-controversial nudes depict women tightly bound with ropes in the Japanese bondage style known as Kinbaku. Considered by some to be pornographic, these works draw up...

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

Most Shunga are a type of ukiyo-e, usually executed in woodblock print format.

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 Shunga stamps.

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, are in old bamboo frames with linen mats. The first Shunga depicts a Samurai and ...

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, are in old bamboo frames with linen mats. The first Shunga depicts a Samurai and ...

Category

Antique 19th Century Japanese Prints

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H 80 in W 108 in D 5 in

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$6,964 / set

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Amandine DoréSexual Encounter - Etching ad Drypoint by A. Doré - Late 1900, Late 1900

$295

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Located in Roma, IT

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Category

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$3,600Sale Price|25% Off

H 36.5 in W 30.25 in D 2.5 in

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Category

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$1,250 / item

H 16 in W 11.5 in D 11.5 in

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Located in Brooklyn, NY

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$19,000

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$2,750

H 43 in W 26 in D 1 in

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By Jane White

Located in Port Jervis, NY

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Category

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Materials

Canvas

Pablo PicassoPablo Picasso, L'Atelier du vieux peintre, 1954

$42,500

H 20.5 in W 13 in

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Located in Chatsworth, CA

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Category

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Materials

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$21,246

H 23.23 in W 29.93 in D 0.08 in

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By Pablo Picasso

Located in Roma, IT

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Category

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Materials

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ANTINOUS Magnificent Italian Neoclassical Carrara Marble Sculpture, 1870

$165,251

H 74.81 in W 23.63 in D 19.69 in

ANTINOUS Magnificent Italian Neoclassical Carrara Marble Sculpture

Located in Rome, IT

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Category

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Materials

Marble

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$2,900

H 29 in W 20.5 in D 1 in

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Located in Philadelphia, PA

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Category

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Materials

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$1,495,000

H 29.5 in W 24.5 in

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By George Romney

Located in Miami, FL

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Sir John HoppnerPortrait of Lady Bagot - Niece to the Duke of Wellington, 1807

$355,000

H 30 in W 25 in

Portrait of Lady Bagot - Niece to the Duke of Wellington

By Sir John Hoppner

Located in Miami, FL

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Ian SandersonHelene - Signed limited edition nude fine art print, Contemporary black white, 1988

$2,950

H 20.48 in W 14.97 in D 0.01 in

Helene - Signed limited edition nude fine art print, Contemporary black white

By Ian Sanderson

Located in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona

An original signed archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® Baryta 315 gsm paper by Scottish artist Ian Sanderson (1951- 2020) titled ‘ Helene ‘ Signed by Ian Sanderson lower...

Category

1980s Modern Nude Photography

Materials

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Kirsten Thys van den AudenaerdeShe - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color, 2019

$380

H 7.88 in W 7.88 in D 0.04 in

She - Contemporary, Nude, Women, Polaroid, 21st Century, Color

By Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde

Located in Morongo Valley, CA

'She' part of the series 'A Girl Called N.' - 2019 20x20cm, Edition of 7 plus 2 Artist Proofs. Archival C-Print based on the original Polaroid. Signature label with certificate....

Category

2010s Contemporary Color Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid

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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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