Changes

Perhaps the true birth of ''ukiyo-e'' can be said to have occurred when works began being produced in considerable numbers in [[Edo]]. Though ''ukiyo-e'' consists of both paintings and prints, the reproducibility and low cost of woodblock prints are important elements of the genre, based as it was in being a popular art for the commoner masses; thus, the emergence of mass production of woodblock printed books and single-sheet images in this style is generally considered to mark the genre's true beginnings.

Perhaps the true birth of ''ukiyo-e'' can be said to have occurred when works began being produced in considerable numbers in [[Edo]]. Though ''ukiyo-e'' consists of both paintings and prints, the reproducibility and low cost of woodblock prints are important elements of the genre, based as it was in being a popular art for the commoner masses; thus, the emergence of mass production of woodblock printed books and single-sheet images in this style is generally considered to mark the genre's true beginnings.

''Ukiyo-e'' would continue to develop in the [[Kamigata]] area (i.e. [[Osaka]] and [[Kyoto]]), and would produce its own distinct styles and great masters, but the true core trend of development and prosperity arguably took place in Edo. Throughout the period, Kamigata remained the center for painting and Edo the center for flourishing production of woodblock prints, though both regions of course saw the production of innumerable works in both media. Even today, ''ukiyo-e'' at its full height of development is referred to as "Edo-e" (Edo pictures) in the Kamigata region.

''Ukiyo-e'' would continue to develop in the [[Kamigata]] area (i.e. [[Osaka]] and [[Kyoto]]), and would produce its own distinct styles and great masters, but the true core trend of development and prosperity arguably took place in Edo. Throughout the period, Kamigata remained the center for painting and Edo the center for flourishing production of woodblock prints, though both regions of course saw the production of innumerable works in both media. Even today, ''ukiyo-e'' at its full height of development is referred to as "Edo-e" (Edo pictures) or "Azuma nishiki-e" (eastern brocade pictures) in the Kamigata ([[Kansai]]) region.

''Ukiyo-e'' had its start in Edo, appropriately enough, in the publishing district. There, in the [[Kanbun (era)|Kanbun]] era of the [[Japanese calendar]] (1661-1673), one artist emerged as the primary producer of erotic images (''[[shunga]]'') for illustrated books in what would come to be known as the ''ukiyo-e'' style. As his name is not known, he has come to be known in scholarship as "the [[Kanbun Master]]." He was followed roughly a decade later by [[Hishikawa Moronobu]] (d. 1694), who may have been his student, [[Sugimura Jihei]] (fl.c. 1681-1697), and others, who continued to produce these simple images, primarily of courtesans, dancing girls, and related erotic scenes.  

''Ukiyo-e'' had its start in Edo, appropriately enough, in the publishing district. There, in the [[Kanbun (era)|Kanbun]] era of the [[Japanese calendar]] (1661-1673), one artist emerged as the primary producer of erotic images (''[[shunga]]'') for illustrated books in what would come to be known as the ''ukiyo-e'' style. As his name is not known, he has come to be known in scholarship as "the [[Kanbun Master]]." He was followed roughly a decade later by [[Hishikawa Moronobu]] (d. 1694), who may have been his student, [[Sugimura Jihei]] (fl.c. 1681-1697), and others, who continued to produce these simple images, primarily of courtesans, dancing girls, and related erotic scenes.