Japanese Woodblock Prints Exhibited at Drexel

Japanese woodblock prints from The Drexel Collection will be on display through April 1 at Drexel University’s Rincliffe Gallery located on the third floor of the University’s Main Building at 32nd and Chestnut Streets.

Thirty-four colorful, 19th-century woodblock prints from more than 200 in The Drexel Collection will be showcased, illustrating scenes of natural beauty such as the cherry blossoms of spring, brilliant-colored leaves of fall and snow scenes of winter. 

“We are pleased to display a selection of our Japanese woodblock prints to the community,” said Jacqueline M. DeGroff, curator of The Drexel Collection. “The term, ukiyo-e, is synonymous with Japanese woodblock prints and conveys the Buddhist concept of things impermanent in the world.”

The exhibition is free and open to the public and is part of the 2011 Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia, a six-week series of events presented by the Japan America Society.

The Drexel Collection was created as early as 1892 when Anthony J. Drexel gave his first president one million dollars to travel to Europe to collect art for Drexel students to experience during their studies.  The collection includes paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, textiles and an 18th century David Rittenhouse Astronomical Musical Clock.  For more information, visit www.drexel.edu/drexelcollection.

Photo caption: Actor, Segawa Tamon from the Play, The Diary of Two Meandering Butterflies
Woodcut by Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) (1786-1864)
Signed, Toyokuni, Published by Eikyudo, 1814

News media contact:
Niki Gianakaris, director, Drexel News Bureau
215-895-6741, 215-778-7752 (cell), ngianakaris@drexel.edu