Synopses & Reviews
The art of Japanese woodblock printing, known as andlt;iandgt;ukiyo-eandlt;/iandgt; ("pictures of the floating world"), reflects the rich history and way of life in Japan hundreds of years ago. andlt;iandgt;Ukiyo-e: The Art of the Japanese Printandlt;/iandgt; takes a thematic approach to this iconic Japanese art form, considering prints by subject matter: geisha and courtesans, kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, erotica, nature, historical subjects and even images of foreigners in Japan.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;An artist himself, author Frederick Harrisand#8212;a well-known American collector who lived in Japan for 50 yearsand#8212;pays special attention to the methods and materials employed in Japanese printmaking. The book traces the evolution of andlt;iandgt;ukiyo-eandlt;/iandgt; 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 how to collect, care for, view and buy Japanese andlt;iandgt;ukiyo-eandlt;/iandgt; woodblock prints rounds out this book of charming, carefully selected prints.
Review
"A unique book on Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and one that is essential reading for all collectors, cultural historians and anyone intrigued by this endlessly fascinating subject!" and#8212;andlt;bandgt;Peter Grilli, President, Japan Society of Bostonandlt;/bandgt;
Review
"I was immediately drawn to this handsome book, and my expectation of a fine journey into the floating world pictures became fulfilled. First, the color reproductions of Frederick Harris's high-quality choices give a good sense of the way woodblock prints appear in life. Second, his writing is clear, welcoming, deeply informed, and well organized. The stated aim of Frederick Harris was to appeal to a new generation of art lovers and collectors. He appears to have hit the target. This is a wonderfully worthy effort and resultand#8212;a true labor of love." and#8212;andlt;bandgt;andlt;iandgt;Maine Antique Digestandlt;/iandgt;andlt;/bandgt;
Review
"Created by an artist and interior designer, andlt;iandgt;Ukiyo-e: The Art of the Japanese Printandlt;/iandgt; directly reflects the sensitive eye and professional polish of its author." and#8212;andlt;bandgt;Kendall H. Brown, Professor of Asian Art History, California State University, Long Beachandlt;/bandgt;
Review
andlt;divandgt;"A unique book on Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and one that is essential reading for all collectors, cultural historians and anyone intrigued by this endlessly fascinating subject!"and#8212;Peter Grilli, President, Japan Society of Bostonandlt;/divandgt;
Review
"This is a fine and passionate contribution to the vast literature on the Japanese print." and#8212;andlt;bandgt;Alexandra Munroe, Samsung Senior Curator of Asian Art, Guggenheim Museumandlt;/bandgt;
Review
"I was immediately drawn to this handsome book, and my expectation of a fine journey into the floating world pictures became fulfilled. First, the color reproductions of Frederick Harris's high-quality choices give a good sense of the way woodblock prints appear in life. Second, his writing is clear, welcoming, deeply informed, and well organized. The stated aim of Frederick Harris was to appeal to a new generation of art lovers and collectors. He appears to have hit the target. This is a wonderfully worthy effort and result—a true labor of love."—Maine Antique Digest
Review
"An excellent book for someone just first getting into Japanese printsandhellip;[Goes into fuller detail than many other books do as to the block-carving and printing process itself, including brilliant photos of the chisels and baren and how they were used, and of a key block and its resulting printed image, visually demonstrating the process beautifully," and#8212;andlt;bandgt;Nubui Kuduchiandlt;/bandgt;
Review
"This book will appeal to anyone who's interested in traditional Japanese culture." and#8212;andlt;bandgt;Tokyo 5andlt;/bandgt;
Review
"Illustrated with only the choicest selections, Harris's book arranges them by subject rather than chronology or artist, breaking down what can be a very confusing area of work, and highlighting the key issues and players" and#8212;andlt;bandgt;Tokyo Jinjaandlt;/bandgt;
Synopsis
Ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") is an art form that originated in the metropolitan culture of Edo (Tokyo) in the early seventeenth century and involved collaboration between artist, carver, printer and publisher. Printed on fragile paper using a technique of woodcut or woodblock printing, the early black and white designs soon gave way to delicate two-color prints and then to multicolored prints. Favorite subjects were portraits of beautiful geisha and courtesans, popular kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers, erotica, scenes from nature, historical subjects and even foreigners in Japan.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;The charming, carefully selected ukiyo-e in this book reflect not only Japan's rich history and way of life but also reveal the author's love affair with an art form that has captured the imagination of people all over the world.
Synopsis
The art of Japanese woodblock printing, known as ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world"), reflects the rich history and way of life in Japan hundreds of years ago. Ukiyo-e: The Art of the Japanese Print takes a thematic approach to this iconic Japanese art form, considering prints by subject matter: geisha and courtesans, kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, erotica, nature, historical subjects and even images of foreigners in Japan.
An artist himself, author Frederick Harris--a well-known American collector who lived in Japan for 50 years--pays 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 how to collect, care for, view and buy Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints rounds out this book of charming, carefully selected prints.
Synopsis
A connoisseur's guide to Japan's timeless art form
Synopsis
Ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") is an art form that originated in the metropolitan culture of Edo (Tokyo) in the early seventeenth century and involved collaboration between artist, carver, printer and publisher. Printed on fragile paper using a technique of woodcut or woodblock printing, the early black and white designs soon gave way to delicate two-color prints and then to multicolored prints. Favorite subjects were portraits of beautiful geisha and courtesans, popular kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers, erotica, scenes from nature, historical subjects and even foreigners in Japan.
The charming, carefully selected ukiyo-e in this book reflect not only Japan's rich history and way of life but also reveal the author's love affair with an art form that has captured the imagination of people all over the world.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;Frederick Harrisandlt;/bandgt; is an artist who lived in Japan for over fifty years. He was introduced to the Japanese woodblock print by the well-known printmaker Martin Lewis, and after serving in the armed forces in Korea, he moved to Japan to establish an art studio.