Customer Reviews

Hiroshige: Prints and Drawings (Asian Art)

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Quick, stop reading this review and buy this Hardcover book in New or Like New condition now, while you can. For, this is one of the greastest modern so-called 'coffee table' art books that I have come across. Too often these days one finds that such art books which should be large, lushly produced, lovingly put together and brilliantly written are unfortunately done with punk production values resulting in poor reproductions on cheap looking paper stock and accompanied by unedifying, often stultifying essays. Not this one. As I said above it is one of the most impressive art books that I have come across in twenty years of buying them. It is printed and bound in Germany which in itself is commendable and noteworthy because it is quite expensive to produce a book there. I am so glad they did because, as good as they are, Italy and Hong Kong, two places commonly used for producing today's art books, just don't do as good a job as Prestel has done in Germany. This book was originally produced to accompany an exhibition at the Royal Academy of the Arts during 1997. As such, it commanded a skilled and erudite staff of authors to craft both an accurate history and an illuminating commentary of the artist and his art. They are: Matthi Forrer, author of a similar book on Hokusai; Suzuki Juzo, the author of the standard monograph on Hiroshige; and Henry Smith a Professor of Japanese History at Columbia U. You will come back to this book many times over the years because there is so darned much information to absorb, visually and intellectually and because the publisher's top notch production values have accurately captured the spirit and beauty of Hiroshige's Woodblock Prints. This is the sort of book that will be actively sought out by art book collectors in years to come. This is why I say, buy it now, while you can at such a low price. You won't be sorry.

Buy this book for the reproductions if nothing else. If you have seen good Hiroshige prints in their original condition, you know how much is usually lost in most reproductions. This book gets you about as close to the real thing as you are likely to find. The colors are magnificent.

A very comprehensive catalogue of Hiroshige's greatest prints. The book also includes some prints that are more obscure, as well as preparatory sketches and several printing blocks. Attractive as a coffee-table style hardback for those with a passing interest in Ukiyoe, it also is a must-have for those devotees wishing to understand the art of Japan's great landscape print artist.

This book was produced as he was shown at the Royal Academy in London. I begged the poster at the tourist-board in Stockholm and got my parents to buy the hardcover version at the exhibition. Collecting Hiroshige prints in Stockholm I would have loved to see them in London, but the book is the second best thing. The reproductions are terrific, the text short but informative. All the different subjects of Hiroshige are displayed, landscapes, fan motives, fish, flowers and so on. Get it and then get some real prints!

I recieved this not knowing its large format and the images in full color on quality paper. Informative and accurate descriptions of the work. You will not regret buying this book. Makes me sigh....

I fell in love with this book immediately. It's the greens, the blues and the reds in Hiroshige's prints that did it. In this book, the reproductions actually did justice to his works. Many of his works are so incredibly lovely that all I could think was, "This is so gorgeous!" I don't want to sound gushing, but if I do, I really can't help it. The prints are GORGEOUS, especially the ones with snow. The text accompanying each print is satisfactory, but if you buy this book, you won't regret it.

The text provides the necessary background to facilitate understanding of the fantastic pictures. A great variety of photos provide wonderful insight into the world of Hiroshige. The pictures can be perused for pure enjoyment. Terrific book.

I am a fan of most things Japanese, and recently I have become much more interested in Japanese art, specifically wood block printing (Ukiyo-e). I bought this book based on the high ratings and recommendations posted here to amazon. I have to say that I am impressed beyond belief with the quality of the content in this book.

For those newer to wood block printing, there is a tiny bit of information about the process. But the real meat here is the biography on Hiroshige. The first couple of dozen pages deal with Hiroshige and his life and work. The essays include one by Forrster, who is considered an expert in the field and I believe he/she has worked with the Hague. Of course the Dutch were ever present in Japan during the height of the Ukiyo-e movement (in their little outpost near Nagasaki even when Tokugawa closed the borders again), and once Japan was re-opened to the west, they had access. So the Dutch connection makes since (and many of the prints shown in this book are from Dutch collections). The other two essays are from Japanese experts, translated into English.

The collection is broken down into different subjects. Each of the pictures of the prints are about a half page (around 3x4 inches, give or take). So they are not huge. But they are not 'tiny' as one review stated. You are still able to look at the prints and get a very good impression of the quality. The resolution is high, so even closer inspections will do justice.

Also on each page (most of the prints take up a half page with the remainder of the page given to a description of the print), is the title of the print in both the Japanese romaji and English. If there is a poem on the print there is usually a romaji reading and an English translation. The date of (or estimated date of) the printing is listed as well as the collection the print is currently located in. There is a short paragraph to 1/2 page description of each print, highlighting useful information such as the subject, the quality, and even explanations of the slight errors or blemishes that might appear on the print. The descriptions of the subject really add to the overall enjoyment of the print. For example, one print shows servants preparing their lord's retinue for departure from an inn. The description touches on the elements of the print including the translation of the symbol (probably the lord's household name), to the colors of the lanterns on the print in question and why it is often different on subsequent prints from the same blocks.

There is also a map showing many of the locations Hiroshige chose for his subject. There are pictures of two of the wood carvings near the back as well as several concept drawings Hiroshige made of locations before actually carving the blocks.

Overall this is a deep and information packed book on Hiroshige with a lot of very good, very high quality copies of his prints. There are many selections from his Edo series, from the views along the two major highways, and several from his fish, bird, and flower series. A fantastic book to add to any Japanese Ukiyo-e fan's library. Or a great book to really introduce someone to the wonderful works of Hiroshige, one of the most highly regarded Ukiyo-e masters of his time.

I have no experience with art at all, but from my point of view this book is a jewl. Printings are so beautiful and relaxing, and they are numerous in this book. Also the book is well organized with explanations about the paintings.

Among the millions of books showcasing Hiroshige, this is the one to get, forget the rest. HARDCOVER ONLY. Forget the paperback. The hardcover is worth the money because this is all you need. You will enjoy this over and over, as I did, and am still doing!