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Author:
Gian Carlo Calza
By Phaidon Press
Average Customer Rating:  
List Price: $49.95
Our Price: $30.79
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 709
EAN: 9780714847948
ISBN: 0714847941
Label: Phaidon Press
Manufacturer: Phaidon Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 520
Publication Date: 2007-06-05
Publisher: Phaidon Press
Studio: Phaidon Press |
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Product Description
The art of ukiyo-e (the floating world) originated in the city of Edo (1603-1867, now Tokyo), when the political and military power of Japan was in the hands of the shoguns. Comprising six essays, six plate sections and over 600 illustrations this beautiful book provides a perfect introduction to the art of this period. The paintings, scrolls and prints reproduced here demonstrate not only the new urban pleasures of the theatre, restaurants, teahouses and geisha, but also Japan's love of nature and tradition. Professor Calza's accessible style provides a fascinating yet scholarly study of such masters as Hokusai, Hiroshige and Utamaro.
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The Book as Art, 2005-12-22
One of the most frequently referenced periods of Eastern art is the Edo Period in Japan, a time when woodcuts, scrolls, prints, and ink drawings literally flowed from the brushes and hands of craftsmen such as Hokusai, Utamaro, and Hiroshige. The depiction of ocean waves is still informing the art of many artists - Pat Steir comes to mind first. This is the period of ukiyo-e, a time of emperors and grandeur and shoguns and power, all captured in the enormously imaginative art. It was also a period when artists turned their attention to the honor of the geisha life, the teahouses, and the palaces of pleasure with graphic sexual depictions, a time when the rest of the outside world seemed to matter little to the level of culture in Edo (now Tokyo) for over 200 years.
This splendid book is in a very large format that allows the reproductions of the plates to resemble life size! Intertwined with the well written history of art and techniques as well as erudite essays on the Japanese sociopolitical, cultural, the all important Japanese tradition of the time are placed generous examples of the finest works by the finest artists. The art is flat dimensionally but hardly communicatively. Elegant portraits of geishas reveal the traditional garb and makeup and represent a history lesson for these women of pleasure. The pure landscapes and seascapes and views mountains and volcanoes are representative of the fact that Japan is an island and never far from the influence of water.
Though the book is expensive the investment is well worth the cost as only the finest paper, printing techniques, and design have been extravagantly lavished on this very beautiful and informative volume. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, December 05
Ukiyo-E, 2007-10-02
A sumptuous and diverse collection of these Japanese prints that have been so significant in Asian culture and Western art.
Dont drop this book on your foot--OUCH!, 2006-01-29
The eternal search for the perfect art book with lots of high quality, large images. This book is predominantly images, with little supporting text. Which is just fine by me. The bredth of this book is its selling point. Its huge, covering a long span of time. My only issue is the size of the images. NOt all, but some are just to small. But, thats why I have a magnifying glass at hand. If you want to own one really good book on Ukiyo-e, this just might be your best bet.
A Good Book for Pictures, but not for Information, 2008-06-04
I saw this book at the Freer and Sackler museum in Washington, DC and wanted it simply for the fact that it covered so many different types of ukiyo-e. This book showcases ukiyo-e depicting the theater, depicting sexual relations, depicting nature and man's interaction with nature. It depicts the many different aspects of the Edo culture, which is what attracts me to ukiyo-e.
That being said, while I love the pure quantity of the images and the variety of artists (try finding a book about ukiyo-e that shows a few artists other than Hokusai), I wish it had more text. Not text explaining the art or artists, but text regarding the natures of change that were occurring in Japanese society at the time. That information really deepens the beauty of this art form.
I do like the discussions included in the book about the process and mechanics of creating ukiyo-e.
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