Taiga's True Views: The Language of Landscape Painting in Eighteenth-Century Japan [Paperback]

Melinda Takeuchi (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0804720886 | ISBN-13: 978-0804720885 | Publication Date: June 1, 1994 | Edition: 1

This lavishly illustrated book on one of Japan's preeminent painters focuses on the relationship between topography and the language of visual symbols a painter manipulates, or must invent, to suggest specific places.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Takeuchi brilliantly captures the spirit of an entire age, artistically and intellectually. In addition, her information and observations are rendered in beautifully crafted prose.”—Monumenta Nipponica

“In explaining Taiga’s uniqueness and historic importance, Takeuchi makes sharp and vital connections between observable aspects of Taiga’s painting style and the meaning they had against the contemporary background of Japanese beliefs and society. Her study is attuned to current issues in Western historical scholarship, and leaves the reader convinced that Asian art can be profoundly accessible to Western eyes with the aid of a knowing guide.”—San Francisco Chronicle

From the Back Cover

“Takeuchi brilliantly captures the spirit of an entire age, artistically and intellectually. In addition, her information and observations are rendered in beautifully crafted prose.”—Monumenta Nipponica
“In explaining Taiga’s uniqueness and historic importance, Takeuchi makes sharp and vital connections between observable aspects of Taiga’s painting style and the meaning they had against the contemporary background of Japanese beliefs and society. Her study is attuned to current issues in Western historical scholarship, and leaves the reader convinced that Asian art can be profoundly accessible to Western eyes with the aid of a knowing guide.”—San Francisco Chronicle

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804720886
• ISBN-13: 978-0804720885
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,608,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ike Taiga - a central figure in the history of Japanese art, January 8, 2001

By 

DAMIAN (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taiga's True Views: The Language of Landscape Painting in Eighteenth-Century Japan (Paperback)

Ms Takeuchi has presented an excellent appraisal of the life and work of Taiga. After a detailed biographical section, the artist is considered in relation to his contemporaries and to developing theories about the relationship between landscape and pictorial representation. Particular attention is paid to the theories of Gyokushu, who assigned Taiga a central position in the new Nanga movement in Japanese art. Finally, the meanings of the concept "shinkeizu", or "true-view", as applied to Taiga's work, are helpfully clarified.

Taiga is shown to occupy a pivotal position, reinterpreting Chinese traditions of landscape painting to give new impetus to topographical art during the Tokugawa period. His genius is shown to reside in his simultaneous innovation, and respect for tradition.

This book is generously illustrated in colour and monochrome, and benefits from some very helpful appendices, including a section on the personal seals used by Taiga on his pictures.