The UCSF Archives and Special Collections is launching the new exhibition, "Maternal Health and Images of the Body in Japanese Ukiyo-e," on view on the third floor of the UCSF Kalmanovitz Library at Parnassus Heights from November 2023 through December 2024. This exhibition explores historical perspectives surrounding the human body and maternal health in Japan through the lens of ukiyo-e woodblock prints.  

This opening reception includes a presentation by guest curator Manami Yasui, PhD, and self-guided tours on Wednesday, November 1 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on the third floor of the UCSF Kalmanovitz Library (530 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94143). We invite members of the public and the UCSF community to join us for this FREE in-person event. Light refreshments will be provided while supplies last. Please register for this event by Friday, October 31, 2023.

For directions, public transportation, and parking information, please visit: https://www.library.ucsf.edu/about/directions/

The UCSF Library is committed to making its facilities, activities, and events accessible. If you need reasonable accommodations for this event, please contact Polina Ilieva at polina.ilieva@ucsf.edu. 

This exhibition and opening reception are brought to you by the UCSF Library. 

About the exhibition 

The central question framing the selection of the exhibited images, most provided by the UCSF Japanese Woodblock Print Collection and the International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken) collection, is how was the human body represented in mid-19th century Japan? Ukiyo-e refers to a genre of hand-drawn paintings and woodblock prints from the Edo period (1603-1868) to the 20th century. By drawing on various visual arts and medical media, this exhibit examines pregnancy and childbirth in early modern Japan and how birth control methods such as abortion and mabiki (infanticide or “thinning out”) were viewed at the time.