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Meiji Drawings

MEIJI STYLE

From 1868 to 1912, Emperor Mutsuhito oversaw an era of transformation in Japan. Formerly a country of feudalism and isolation, Japan entered an age of modernization influenced by newly established trade and exchange with the West. The Meiji period, or period of “enlightened rule,” also saw the global impact of the East Asian country’s culture. Japanese Meiji furniture was exhibited at expositions from Paris to San Francisco and created for export.

Prior to the Meiji era, furniture was mostly made by commission for the ruling class; now there were new domestic and international markets. European styles like Japonisme appropriated Japanese design while craftsmen in places like Wales and England employed japanning, a varnishing technique that approximated the appearance of lacquer for the surfaces of furnishings.

Meiji furniture made for Japanese homes and buildings constructed in Western styles resulted in taller tables, chairs, cabinets with large drawers and other features. The government invested in areas such as transportation and communication, and because people could freely choose occupations after the restrictions of feudalism, industries of various types were energized by expressive new ideas during those years. Art schools were formed and, for the first time, design was an area of study in the country, leading to the evolution of professional design as a career by the 1890s.

The work of Japanese designers was transmitted widely through lavishly illustrated pattern books that included designs for screens and lacquerware for the home. While screens today may be of use as decorative accents or partitions to ensure privacy in one’s space, Japanese screens were adorned with paintings and were featured in performing arts such as concerts, tea ceremonies and more. The color illustrations that characterize Meiji woodblock prints, a genre of Japanese art that grew out of 17th-century developments in printing and book publishing, depicted the sweeping changes that the era brought to East Asia.

Although it was a time of societal and cultural shifts, a bolstered interest in art and design elevated Japanese craft traditions. From colorful porcelain table lamps with silk shades and hardwood tables decorated with dark lacquer to cabinets featuring iron hardware and inlaid with mother-of-pearl, Meiji furniture showcased Japan’s artistic heritage to the world.

Find a collection of antique Japanese Meiji period case pieces and storage cabinets, decorative objects, wall decorations and more furniture on 1stDibs.

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Style: Meiji
Antique Japanese History Book Meiji Era, circa 1878
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Antique Japanese History book Meiji era, circa 1878 Woodblock print book Book dimensions: 182 mm x 121 mm There are damages because it is antique i...
Category

1870s Japanese Antique Meiji Drawings

Materials

Paper

Japanese Hanging Scroll, Late 19th Century
Located in New York, NY
A Japanese hanging scroll or Kakejiku, circa 1890, depicting bamboo grass and a rabbit. In Japanese culture, the rabbit is a symbol of cleverne...
Category

1890s Japanese Antique Meiji Drawings

Materials

Parchment Paper

Japanese Scroll Painting of Diplomat Takeaki Enomoto, Meiji, Late 19th Century
Located in Amsterdam, NL
Anonymous Japanese painter (MEIJI PERIOD, LATE 19TH CENTURY) Portrait of Takeaki Enomoto (1836-1908) Ink, color and go fun on silk, framed. Painting: 79.5 x 50 cm With fram...
Category

Late 19th Century Japanese Antique Meiji Drawings

Materials

Silk, Paper

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This is a picture of a cat drawn by a person named "Toshizumi Nitta" from the end of the Edo period to the beginning of the Meiji period. She is a very simple and cute cat. He is a vassal of the Tokugawa Shogunate, born in Ota City, Gunma Prefecture (southern part of Gunma Prefecture). He was related to the Tokugawa family and lived in a large mansion in the Ota clan in Gunma prefecture. However, the Nitta family's territory was very small, and they were by no means a wealthy vassal. He seems to have lived quite poorly. So he painted cats and sold them to people. The Nitta family continued to draw pictures of this cat for four generations. "Nitta toshizumi" is equivalent to the fourth generation. During the Edo period, sericulture was thriving in the Kanto region. Cats were said to be the gods of silkworms, as they drive away mice, the natural enemies of silkworms. It was the Nitta family who drew such a cat on paper, pasted it in the silkworm chamber, and sold it as a mouse repellent. There were also other monks who painted pictures of cats, but the Nitta family in particular was related to the Tokugawa family, so people believed that paintings of cats had special powers. , a lot of paintings...
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18th Century Japanese Scroll of Poppies
18th Century Japanese Scroll of Poppies
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Meiji drawings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Meiji drawings for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 19th Century, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage drawings created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include wall decorations, asian art and furniture, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with paper, fabric and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Meiji drawings made in a specific country, there are Asia, East Asia, and Japan pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for drawings differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $616 and tops out at $75,474 while the average work can sell for $2,625.

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