OBSERVE tea-taking in enchanting gardens, witness great battles by sumo and samurai and be charmed by Japanese beauties at Tatton’s exhibition of images from traditional woodblock prints.

Coveted by collectors, the prints have been in Tatton’s collection for at least a century, but who brought them to the Cheshire mansion is a mystery.

Dating from the early-19th century, the four albums of images include series called Lucky Treasures and Japanese Beauties.

Known as “ukiyo-e” or “pictures of the floating world”, they capture the fleeting pleasures of the lives of the wealthy merchant class.

Still in their original bindings and of outstanding quality, the prints are rarely displayed to avoid light damage.

“Thanks to the help of two expert photographic volunteers, these prints have been digitally recorded so that we can share these beautiful images with the public,” says Caroline Schofield, mansion and collections manager.

“This is a rare opportunity to glimpse aspects of 19th century Japanese life, its culture, customs and traditions.”

Japan opened up to trade with Europe and the US and to visits from western tourists in the mid-19th century.

The art of this previously closed and mysterious land was extremely popular with western collectors and made a huge impression on artists of the 19th and early-20th centuries.

Japanese woodblock printing in particular was a source of inspiration for artists from the art nouveau, aesthetic and European impressionist movements.

Degas, Van Gogh and Toulouse Lautrec all admired the two dimensional imagery of ukiyo-e, its composition and flat areas of bold colours.

Although there is no official record of who purchased prints for Tatton’s collection, the strongest contenders are Wilbraham Egerton (1832-1909), author of an academic work about oriental arms and armour, and Alan de Tatton Egerton (1845-1920) who commissioned the building of the mansion’s Japanese Garden in 1910.

THE exhibition of digital images taken of Japanese Woodblock Prints is at Tatton Hall until June 28. Usual Mansion entry charges apply. Details from 01625 374400 or www.tattonpark.org.uk