Ukiyo-The Floating World
Derived from the Buddhist metaphor for the
impermanence of life and the world of fleeting
pleasures. What originally signified a sadness
of the impermanence of our own short and
troublesome lives (captured in the homonym
"ukiyo" meaning sorrowful world)
changed and became seeking momentary pleasure
in the delights of the material world.

The study of insects seems to suggest the transitory nature of the floating world.

Please scroll down to see all the drawings on this page.