Colorful dreamscapes and fantastic scenes in woodblock prints that often seem like early examples of Manga take visitors into the world of two 19th-century Japanese masters.

An exhibit of 80 colorful woodblock prints by Japanese artists Kunisada (1786-1865) and Kuniyoshi (1798-1861) will be shown at Museum Kunstpalast from September 10, 2011 – January 15, 2012, under the patronage of the Japanese Consulate in Düsseldorf.

The museum received a large gift of woodblock prints in the 1960s, which included 220 works by the 2 Japanese masters, collected by the donor Dr. Hans Lühdorf.  The exhibit in Düsseldorf highlights 80 of them – mostly depictions of actors, heroic figures and theatric scenes, as well as humorous and cat images plus drawings by Kuniyoshi  --  and offers a rare opportunity for comparing the two artists who both display a similar talent for harmonious color schemes and expressiveness in their depictions. 

The works of both artists often seem like early examples of the contemporary Manga, which is another reason for the renewed interest and recognition in their works.   Another bridge from the artists’ time and space to the modern Western observer is the European influence visible in their work, such as the use of central perspective in drawing. 

For more information on the exhibit, visit http://www.smkp.de

For hotel and travel specials, called “Art in Düsseldorf,” offered by the city’s tourism office, starting at €75 (about US $106) per person per night, including breakfast and local transportation, visit:  http://www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de/en/art-in-duesseldorf-2011/