One Hundred Aspects of the Moon: Japanese Woodblock Prints by Yoshitoshi [Paperback]

Tamara Tjardes (Author), Yoshitoshi Taiso (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2003

Yoshitoshi (1839-92) was the last great woodblock print master of the Ukiyo-e tradition, and 'One Hundred Aspects of the Moon' is regarded as his greatest achievement. The only complete set of the series, in the collection of the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, provides for the exquisite reproductions in this popular book on 19th century Japan's most mainstream art amusement. Yoshitoshi was born in the city of Edo (Tokyo) shortly before Japan's violent transformations from a medieval to a modern society. He was keenly interested in preserving traditional Japanese culture against the inclusions of modernism, and his prints celebrate the glory of Japan in its mythology, literature, history, the warrior culture, and fine woodblock print tradition. This book will appeal to a broad audience of connoisseurs as well as the many who cultivate an interest in Japanese art.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Univ of New Mexico Pr; First Edition edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890134383
• ISBN-13: 978-0890134382
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 10 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #287,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 100 aspects of the moon, January 3, 2004

By 

Barbara Mason "artist/printmaker" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: One Hundred Aspects of the Moon: Japanese Woodblock Prints by Yoshitoshi (Paperback)

This is a beautiful book, nicely organized. The poetry and folk lore give the reader a peek into a complex and not ofter understood look at Jpanese society. As a printmaker I appreciate the work but loved the layout and the quest the collectors made over two decades to find all 100 of these prints, that are over 100 years old, in pristine condition.

41 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moonblocked, June 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: One Hundred Aspects of the Moon: Japanese Woodblock Prints by Yoshitoshi (Paperback)

The Museum of International Folk Art, New Mexico, has all the woodblock prints in the series 100 ASPECTS OF THE MOON by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. During the Edo period, 1600-1868, Ukiyo-e, or woodblock print pictures of the floating world, meant economical, popular art for the Japanese. It was the first Japanese art in which artists didn't have to depend on a few elite clients. Instead, they found success in mass production, for city shops, open-air kiosks and street vendors.

At first, Yoshitoshi was caught up in the brutality of violent times, by printing demons, murderers and warriors. Then, in the 1880s, he took to Western-styled perspective, space and unlikely color combinations. He did all this, though, within limits from Noh drama. Noh's point was the least amount of detail. It was also on a person just before doing something or while going over something from the past. Both were found in Yoshitoshi's moon prints.

With them, he broke ground in such a way as to move the world, what with post-impressionist America and Europe coming upon his prints. For he put the faces of ordinary people onto figures from Chinese, Indian and Japanese pasts.

Before becoming industrialized, Japan had a calendar system based on the phases of the moon. The Japanese still honor the full moon night, known as tsukimi. On August 15th, the Japanese offer dumplings, eulalia and seasonal fruits, to ask for excellent harvests.

Tamara Tjardes has organized Yoshitoshi's prints according to figures from literature, myth and music; the floating world; and battles. From them, one of my two favorite blocks is "Ishiyama moon." Lady Murasaki wrote the world's first novel, in 1021, with her adventures of Prince Genji. Yoshitoshi showed her on the balcony of the Ishiyama temple, moon-gazing while starting to write.

The other's "A country couple enjoys the moonlight with their infant son." A farmer and his wife cradle their infant son. They drink from a kettle of sake. They're framed by the trailing vine of the yugao. Yoshitoshi printed the scene, to honor these lines from his friend, the poet Keika: "Pleasure is this: to lie under the moonflower bower; the man in his undershirt; the woman in her slip"!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, November 2, 2008

By 

Art-Rep "Concerned Person" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Hundred Aspects of the Moon: Japanese Woodblock Prints by Yoshitoshi (Paperback)

This is a beautiful book; showing fine quality pictures of one of the best Japanese print artists. It's an economical way to see/handle georgious works of art without the investment of time and money nor liability of origionals.