Beijing exhibition examines the connections between Chinese and Japanese woodblock prints

Woodblock Spring Festival nianhua prints of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and ukiyo-e pieces are both one of the most eye-catching genres of art, both being influenced by the advancement of print techniques of the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Woodblock Prints in Distinctive Landssurveys the differences and similarities between the two forms of art by showing 138 prints from the collection of the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, where the ongoing exhibition will continue through Oct 15.

The traditional nianhua prints on display were made in some of China's best-known production centers such as Yangliuqing of Tianjin, Taohuawu of Suzhou, Jiangsu province and Mianzhu of Sichuan province.

Featured ukiyo-e artists at the exhibition include Hishikawa Moronobu, the first ukiyo-e master, and Katsushika Hokusai, best known for his piece Great Wave off Kanagawa, from his series of works entitled 35 views of Mount Fuji.