John Geiger was particularly interested in the views presented by historian Kevin Nute in his monograph Frank Lloyd Wright and Japan: The Role of Traditional Japanese Art and Architecture in the Work of Frank Lloyd Wright, and those of scholar Julia Meech found in her volume Frank Lloyd Wright and the Art of Japan: The Architect's Other Passion. Geiger considered that the income generated from the sales of Japanese woodcut prints was a principal souce of financial support for Wright to continue his architectural practice during times when productive commissions were few. Geiger believed the matter an important area worthy of deeper study. Aside from providing easier access to the Japanese prints from the Walker collection available on the LOC website, Geiger wanted to spur further interest by presenting the ukiyo-e shown here as a reflection of both artistic attraction and economic necessity for Wright.

The Walker collection prints are grouped here alphabetically by artist name:

Hiroshige, Ando (1797-1858)

Ando Hiroshige is considered one of the great masters of the ukiyo-e tradition. Works by Hiroshige are the most numerous of a single artist among the ukiyo-e in the Walker collection, ranging in date from 1833 to 1858, the year of his death. Examples include the Gajō icchō, a group of 50 prints bound sequentially into an album from the Meisho edo hyakkei, or "100 Famous Views of Edo."  Other woodcuts prints are from the

Hiroshige, Utagawa (1826?-1869)

Utagawa Hiroshige is represented in the Walker collection by 21 compositions dated from about 1859 to 1868. One of the rare apprentices of Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858), this artist was at birth called Suzuki Chinpei and later apprenticed as Shigenobu, but took his master's name after marrying Ando Hiroshige's daughter in 1858. His works often strongly resemble in style those of the earlier artist; for many years Westerners did not make a distinction between the two.

Hokkei, Totoya (1780-1850)

Hokkei is represented in the Walker collection by 4 compositions dated between 1818 and 1830. The first and one of the most highly regarded students of Hokasai, Hokkei produced a large body of work and was known for ukiyo-e in a wide variety of styles and genres, as well as book illustrations and paintings.

Hokusai, Katsushika (1760-1849)

Hokusai is represented in the Walker collection by 7 compositions dated from about 1797 to 1807. Hokusai is most widely known as the creator of the acclaimed masterpiece group of woodcuts prints titled "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji," which contained the famous scene "The Great Wave Off Kanagawa."

Kunisada, Utagawa, (1786-1865)

Kunisada is represented in the Walker collection by 7 compositions dated 1822 and between 1837 and 1844. Highly popular and commercially successful, in his own time the reputation of this artist exceeded that of Hokusai and Hiroshige. After a long period of being regarded poorly by Western scholars, works by Kunisada have recently been reassesed as important in quality.

Kubo, Shunman (1757-1820)

Kubo is represented in the Walker collection by a single composition dated between 1789 and 1791. Also, perhaps even primarily, a writer, Kubo produced successful gesaku novels and haiku poetry. Later in life he ceased commercial print work, but wrote poetry for the woodcuts of other ukiyo-e artists such as Hokusai.

Ryuryukyo, Shinsai (circa 1764-1820)

Ryurukyo is represented in the Walker collection by 2 compositions dated between 1804 and 1818. A student of Hokusai, Ryurukyo also produced a more exclusive form of woodblock print called surimono.

Sukenobu, Nishikawa (1671-1751)

Sukenobu is represented in the Walker collection by two compositions dated 1731 and between 1716 and 1736. Based in Kyoto, Sukenonu was known primarily for his representations of actors and, more generally, women of all classes showing their many activities.

Taiso,Yoshitoshi, (1839-1892)

Taiso is represented in the Walker collection by a single composition dated 1860. Widely considered to be the last master of the ukyio-e tradition, Yoshitoshi was also a great innovator whose career spanned the reigns of two Japanese emperors.

Teisai, Hokuba (1771-1844)

Teisai is represented in the Walker collection by 2 compositions dated between 1801 and 1818. Said to be one of the best pupils of Hokusai, Teisai was known particularly for his landscapes and human figures, particularly beautiful women.

Yajima, Gogaku [Yashima Gakutei] (1760-1849)

Cited by scholars as Yashima Gakutei, rather than rendered as Yajima Gogaku at the Library of Congress, Yashima is represented in the Walker collection by 6 compositions dated between 1818 and 1830. He was a pupil of both Hokkei and Hokusai who specialized in surinomo, and was also known for his poetry.