Between the 17th and the 19th centuries, kabuki was the traditional theatre for the bourgeoisie in Japan. Artists recorded numerous stage scenes and artists portraits in woodcuts. During the 19th century many of these works traveled to Europe, where they formed the basis for the impressive collection in Geneva consisting of more than 1,000 Japanese woodcuts in excellent condition. This lavishly illustrated catalogue assembles more than a hundred of these woodcuts for the first time and provides a key to understanding Japanese culture."