19th Century Japanese Art
These 19th century japanese art pieces bring physical craft from the Edo and Meiji periods into modern rooms.
19th Century Japanese Art
When you search for 19th century japanese art, you encounter a varied selection spanning the Edo and Meiji periods, including Imari plates, woodblock prints, and cloisonné enamel chargers. These objects capture distinct phases of Japanese design and craftsmanship, shifting from traditional Edo subjects towards elaborate Meiji decorative works.
You are most likely to meet cloisonné enamel plates and chargers alongside decorative plates and woodblock prints on this page. Boxwood netsuke and porcelain figures also appear, offering varied expressions of 19th century japanese art from different workshops and makers.
Materials and construction
Makers utilised enamel, wood, copper, glass, brass, porcelain, paper, and gold leaf across these items. Cloisonné pieces combine copper bases with detailed wirework and enamel pastes fired to a hard finish.
Woodblock prints rely on carved timber blocks and paper, whilst figures and netsuke employ boxwood, porcelain, and bronze. Champleve techniques integrate enamel directly into recessed metal channels.
19th Century Japanese Art Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for 19th century japanese art among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
A bronze cricket with articulated legs hides quietly among the metalwork and porcelain.
Distinctions in quality
Quality rests upon the precision of the enamel work, the sharpness of woodblock impressions, and the carving depth in boxwood netsuke. Superior cloisonné displays clean wire alignment and smooth surface polishing without pitting.
Compositional balance and depth of colour separate standard decorative items from masterworks. The skill involved in rendering intricate motifs like koi, dragons, and samurai figures dictates the standing of each piece.
Kitagawa Utamaro·Kunisada·FRANÇOIS-EUGÈNE ROUSSEAU·BACCARAT
The 19th Century Japanese Art Glossary
- Meiji Period
- The era in Japanese history lasting from 1868 to 1912, known for opening trade with the West and producing highly detailed decorative arts.
- Edo Period
- The period lasting from 1603 to 1868 governed by the Tokugawa shogunate, associated with traditional crafts, woodblock prints, and netsuke.
- Imari
- A style of Japanese porcelain decorated in underglaze blue and overglaze red, gold, and green, originating from the town of Arita.
- Cloisonné
- A technique where enamel is applied to compartments created by soldering flat metal wire onto a metal base.
- Netsuke
- A small carved toggle used to fasten a pouch or basket to the kimono sash, typically carved from boxwood or ivory.
- Kagamibuta
- A style of netsuke shaped like a shallow bowl with a metal lid, often featuring champleve enamel or engraved details.
19th Century Japanese Art: Frequently Asked Questions
What defines Meiji period art?
Meiji period art reflects the rapid modernisation and opening of Japan following 1868. Works from this time often exhibit exceptional technical mastery in metalwork, cloisonné enamel, and ceramics intended for international exhibition.
Makers pushed traditional techniques to new scales and levels of complexity, creating large decorative chargers and bronze sculptures that appealed to Western collectors.
How were woodblock prints made?
Woodblock prints involved a collaborative process between an artist who drew the design, a carver who cut the image into cherry wood blocks, and a printer who applied water-based pigments to Japanese paper.
Multiple blocks were used for separate colours, requiring precise alignment to achieve the detailed multi-coloured prints seen by artists like Utamaro and Kunisada.
What is cloisonne enamel?
Cloisonné enamel is created by soldering thin metal wires onto a copper or brass base to form small cells, or cloisons. These cells are filled with coloured glass paste and fired in a kiln.
After firing, the surface is ground down and polished until the metal wires and glass enamel form a smooth, continuous decorative plane.
How do you display netsuke?
Netsuke were originally worn as functional toggles on traditional Japanese dress, but today they are typically displayed on open shelves or in shallow cabinets. Their small scale allows them to be held and examined closely from all angles.
Placing them on simple stands highlights the intricate carving on the underside and sides without distracting from the wood or ivory detail.
What is Imari porcelain?
Imari porcelain refers to Japanese export wares made in Arita and shipped from the port of Imari during the Edo period. They are recognisable by their distinctive palette of cobalt blue underglaze and iron red and gold overglaze.
These plates and vessels were widely collected in Europe for domestic display and dining use.