Ukiyo-e Masterpieces from the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Lengthily subtitled 'Exhibition on the 250th Anniversary of the Birth of Nishiki-e – Featuring Harunobu, Sharaku and More', this summer display at Nihonbashi's Mitsui Museum offers a chance to appreciate highlights from the Philadelphia Museum of Art's extensive ukiyo-e collection, which includes over 4,000 pieces in total. Focusing especially on the impact of nishiki-e, the 'brocade print' technique that made multicolour printing possible, the exhibit traces the history of Edo's beloved 'people's art' from the golden years of commoner culture to later, more experimental developments. Suzuki Harunobu (1725-1770), credited as the first artist to work with colour prints, is particularly well represented, while you can also look forward to pieces by masters like Torii Kiyonaga, Kitagawa Utamaro and Toshusai Sharaku, plus the obligatory Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige. An unmissable opportunity for anyone interested in the culture of Edo.