Description
The art of Japanese woodblock printing, referred to as ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”), reflects the wealthy history and way of living in Japan hundreds of years ago. Ukiyo-e: The Art of the Japanese Print takes a thematic way to this iconic Japanese art form, taking into account prints by subject matter: geisha and courtesans, kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, erotica, nature, historical subjects or even images of foreigners in Japan.
An artist himself, writer Frederick Harris—a well-known American collector who lived in Japan for 50 years—can pay special attention to the methods and materials employed in Japanese printmaking. The book traces the evolution of ukiyo-e from its origins in metropolitan Edo (Tokyo) art culture as black and white illustrations, to delicate two-color prints and multicolored designs. Advice to admirers on learn how to collect, maintain, view and buy Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints rounds out this book of charming, carefully selected prints.