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Utamaro was followed by the [[Utagawa school]], a series of artists who dominated the early 19th century, producing works in a variety of sub-genres. [[Utagawa Toyoharu]] (1735-1814), the founder of the school, is cited as the first ''ukiyo-e'' artist to truly focus on landscapes and on large group scenes. It was certainly not uncommon for earlier works to include as many as ten or more figures which served as the foreground focus of the work; Toyoharu produced images of tens or hundreds of individuals, incorporated into the landscape, that is, into the scene. Many of these were crowded city scenes, within Edo's kabuki theatres, along its avenues, or on the river.

Utamaro was followed by the [[Utagawa school]], a series of artists who dominated the early 19th century, producing works in a variety of sub-genres. [[Utagawa Toyoharu]] (1735-1814), the founder of the school, is cited as the first ''ukiyo-e'' artist to truly focus on landscapes and on large group scenes. It was certainly not uncommon for earlier works to include as many as ten or more figures which served as the foreground focus of the work; Toyoharu produced images of tens or hundreds of individuals, incorporated into the landscape, that is, into the scene. Many of these were crowded city scenes, within Edo's kabuki theatres, along its avenues, or on the river.

As such, he was also among the first to incorporate perspective, in the Western style, into his images, rather than simply experimenting with it as a novelty as some earlier artists, as far back as Masanobu and Torii Kiyonobu, had. These came to be known as "floating pictures", or ''[[uki-e]]'', as the more realistic depiction of depth made the images supposedly seem to float right off the page.

As such, he was also among the first to incorporate perspective, in the Western style, into his images, rather than simply experimenting with it as a novelty as some earlier artists, as far back as Masanobu and Torii Kiyonobu, had. Those earlier works came to be known as "floating pictures", or ''[[uki-e]]'', as the more realistic depiction of depth made the images supposedly seem to float right off the page.

[[Image:Kuniyoshi - Tominomori.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The ronin [[Tominomori Sukeemon]] from a ''[[The 47 Ronin|Chûshingura]]'' series by [[Utagawa Kuniyoshi]].]]

[[Image:Kuniyoshi - Tominomori.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The ronin [[Tominomori Sukeemon]] from a ''[[The 47 Ronin|Chûshingura]]'' series by [[Utagawa Kuniyoshi]].]]

Many of Toyoharu's followers in the Utagawa school, including [[Utagawa Toyokuni]] (1769-1825), [[Utagawa Toyohiro|Toyohiro]] (1773-1828), [[Utagawa Kunisada|Kunisada]] (1786-1865), [[Utagawa Kuniyoshi|Kuniyoshi]] (1798-1861), and [[Utagawa Kunimasa|Kunimasa]] (1773-1810), are famous and talented artists in their own rights, dominating the genre in the early 19th century. They produced a great many ''bijinga'', actor prints, and other works, their style largely imitative of Kiyonaga's, but showing moments of great originality at times.

Many of Toyoharu's followers in the Utagawa school, including [[Utagawa Toyokuni]] (1769-1825), [[Utagawa Toyohiro|Toyohiro]] (1773-1828), [[Utagawa Kunisada|Kunisada]] (1786-1865), [[Utagawa Kuniyoshi|Kuniyoshi]] (1798-1861), and [[Utagawa Kunimasa|Kunimasa]] (1773-1810), were famous and talented artists in their own rights, dominating the genre in the early 19th century. They produced a great many ''bijinga'', actor prints, and other works, their style largely imitative of Kiyonaga's, but showing moments of great originality at times.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and [[Hiroshige|Andô Hiroshige]] (1797-1858), easily the two ''ukiyo-e'' artists most well-known in the West, thus came quite late in the development of the genre, and, as masters of landscapes, do not truly represent the urban culture (courtesans, actors, and genre scenes) core of the genre.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) and [[Hiroshige|Andô Hiroshige]] (1797-1858), easily the two ''ukiyo-e'' artists most well-known in the West, thus came quite late in the development of the genre, and, as masters of landscapes, do not truly represent the urban culture (courtesans, actors, and genre scenes) core of the genre.

[[Image:Kiyochika - Asakusa.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The [[Asakusa]] area of Tokyo, in a print by [[Kobayashi Kiyochika]].]]

[[Image:Kiyochika - Asakusa.jpg|right|thumb|300px|The [[Asakusa]] area of Tokyo, in a print by [[Kobayashi Kiyochika]].]]

One ''ukiyo-e'' artist of the Meiji period is worth some attention here. [[Kobayashi Kiyochika]] (1847-1915) is often considered the last of the great ''ukiyo-e'' artists, working in largely traditional modes and styles despite his interesting modern subjects. The works for which is is most known are those which show the transformation of Edo into [[Tokyo]], and depict traditional scenes with modern elements, such as trains, clocktowers, and horse-drawn carriages.

One ''ukiyo-e'' artist of the Meiji period is worth some attention here. [[Kobayashi Kiyochika]] (1847-1915) is often considered the last of the great ''ukiyo-e'' artists, working in largely traditional modes and styles despite his often rather modern subjects. The works for which he is most known are those which show the transformation of Edo into [[Tokyo]], and depict traditional scenes with modern elements, such as trains, clocktowers, and horse-drawn carriages.

Later in the Meiji period, woodblock prints were used to represent the events of the [[Sino-Japanese War]] (1894-1895) and [[Russo-Japanese War]] (1904-1905), alongside photographs and postcards.

Later in the Meiji period, woodblock prints (along with [[photography|photographs]] and [[postcards]], both first emerging around that time) were used to represent the events of the [[Sino-Japanese War]] (1894-1895) and [[Russo-Japanese War]] (1904-1905).

A number of other artists of the Meiji period and early 20th century, including most notably [[Hashiguchi Goyo|Hashiguchi Goyô]], adopted more modern and Western methods and styles into their works, and came to comprise what has been called "[[shin hanga]]".

A number of other artists of the Meiji period and early 20th century, including most notably [[Hashiguchi Goyo|Hashiguchi Goyô]], [[Kawase Hasui]], [[Ito Shunsui|Itô Shunsui]], and [[Yoshida Toshi|Yoshida Tôshi]], adopted more modern and Western methods and styles into their works, and came to comprise what has been called "[[shin hanga]]". Meanwhile, painters in the ''[[Nihonga]]'' style or movement incorporated elements of ''ukiyo-e'' style as well.

Though woodblock printing certainly went on for a time after the end of the Edo period, the ''ukiyo'' ("floating world") became, for the most part, a thing of the past. Much like kabuki, which does survive and continue today, and for which actor prints continue to be made, ''ukiyo-e'' was very much a product of its time, and continues to represent quite vividly the culture of that time.

Though woodblock printing certainly went on for a time after the end of the Edo period, the ''ukiyo'' ("floating world") became, for the most part, a thing of the past. ''Ukiyo-e'' was very much a product of its time, and continues to represent quite vividly the culture of that time.

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