Japanese Woodblock Flower Prints

Extraordinary collection of Japanese woodblock prints by a well-known artist features 120 plates in brilliant color. Realistic images from a rare edition include daffodils, tulips, and other familiar and unusual flowers.

Surveys the persistence of Japanese woodblock printing through the first half of the 20th century, when mainstream art ignored it as an extinct form. Describes the divergence of traditional and modern methods, the influence of the West, and the eventual decline. Includes many fine reproductions, 16 pages in color. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Colorists of all ages will appreciate these graceful courtesans, mountainous landscapes, and other images from the woodblock tradition. Thirty meticulous renderings include masterly works by Kunisada, Hiroshige, Utamaro, Eisen, and Toyokuni.

"[An] impressive volume, with a valuable amount of information not otherwise available in one source." --Choice Companion volume to Merritt's Modern Japanese Woodblock Prints. This volume is a reference work that is both comprehensive and rigorously chronological.

This volume tells the story of the woodblock print from its beginnings in the seventeenth century to the latest developments in the post WWII era. Includes dating tips, a guide to reading a print to determine censor's seals, date marks, artist markings and seal, and a chapter on techniques for creating a woodblock print.

Japanese woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e, are the most recognizable Japanese art form. Their massive popularity has spread from Japan to be embraced by a worldwide audience. Covering the period from the beginning of the Japanese woodblock print in the 1680s until the year 1900, Japanese Woodblock Prints provides a detailed survey of all the famous ukiyo-e artists, along with over 500 full-color prints. Unlike previous examinations of this art form, Japanese Woodblock Prints includes detailed histories of the publishers of woodblock prints—who were often the driving force determining which prints, and therefore which artists, would make it into mass circulation for a chance at critical and popular success. Invaluable as a guide for ukiyo-e enthusiasts looking for detailed information about their favorite Japanese woodblock print artists and prints, it is also an ideal introduction for newcomers to the world of the woodblock print. This lavishly illustrated book will be a valued addition to the libraries of scholars, as well as the general art enthusiast.

Focuses on Japanese wood block prints of the Edo period (1600-1868) by explaining the subject matter as well as the technique used in making them.

The Japanese woodblock print is a phenomenon with no Western equivalent, one where breathtaking landscapes exist alongside blush-inducing erotica; where demons and otherworldly creatures torment the living; and where sumo wrestlers, kabuki actors, and courtesans are rock stars. This condensed edition lifts the veil on a much-loved but little-...