Transcriber’s Notes Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variations in hyphenation have been standardised but all other spelling and punctuation remains unchanged. Italics are represented thus _italic_. Each of the illustrations is accompanied by a fac-simile of the artist’s signature. [Illustration: Surimono: A Crow Stealing a Sword. This sword is a famous heirloom of the ancient house of Genji, described in the old romance known as “Genji Monogatari.” By Hokusai.] [Illustration: Biwa, the Beautiful Lake, so named from its resemblance in form to the Four-stringed Lute. By Hiroshige.] IMPRESSIONS OF UKIYO-YE THE SCHOOL OF THE JAPANESE COLOUR-PRINT ARTISTS BY DORA AMSDEN _The things of Heaven and of Buddha: The Life of Men and Women._ _From the Mang-wa of Hokusai._ [Illustration: Symbol] PAUL ELDER AND COMPANY SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK _Copyright 1905 by_ PAUL ELDER AND COMPANY REVISED EDITION The Tomoye Press TO MY BROTHER AND BEST FRIEND CHARLES WATSON JACKSON Contents. _Page_ The Rise of Ukiyo-ye (The Floating World) 1 Genroku (The Golden Era of Romance and Art) 13 The School of Torii (The Printers Branch of Ukiyo-ye) 25 Utamaro (Le Fondateur de L’École de la Vie) 35 The Romance of Hokusai (Master of Ukiyo-ye) 47 Hiroshige (Landscape Painter and Apostle of Impressionism) 57 Analytical Comparisons between the Masters of Ukiyo-ye 69 Hints to Collectors of Ukiyo-ye Gems 77 Bibliography, for Use of Students 78 Fac-similes of the Most Famous Signatures of the Ukiyo-ye Artists 80 Index 83 Illustrations. Hiroshige I—Biwa, the Beautiful Lake, named after the four-stringed Lute _Frontispiece_ Suzuki Harunobu—An Illustration from the “Occupations of Women” _Opposite Page_ 22 Kiyonaga—Under the Cherry Blooms “ 30 Toyokuni—The Actor Kikugoro “ 34