Ukiyo-E [Paperback]

Gian Carlo Calza (Author), John T. Carpenter (Contributor), Muto Junko (Contributor), Naito Masato (Contributor), Timon Screech (Contributor), Asano Shugo (Contributor), Kobayashi Tadashi (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 2007

In this impressive study, Gian Carlo Calza examines images of the floating world (ukiyo-e) found in paintings, screens, illustrated books and, above all, the numerous woodblock prints that nineteenth-century French artists were to find so influential. Through six essays and six catalogue sections this book provides a fascinating and thorough introduction to the very best works of this period. The essays supply detailed background information on the history, techniques and development of ukiyo-e and the plate section has been arranged to reflect the six great themes of the floating world - theatre, tradition, nature, landscape, town life and feminine beauty - developed by the artists to satisfy the demands and tastes of their customers. Within each section, works have been arranged in chronological order and according to the various schools. These remarkable images illustrate the tastes, habits and passions of the people of Edo: fashionable scenes set in the nightless city of Yoshiwara, festive excursions to admire cherry blossoms or maple leaves, parties in sailing boats and firework displays. A great number are, in fact, precious posters promoting kabuki actors and performances. Almost as theatrical, courtesans and geisha were also an important part of life and art in Edo, and ukiyo-e artists interpreted them as the ultimate symbol of female beauty and elegance. In addition to illustrating feminine beauty, almost all the artists of the floating world created erotic works (shunga), since their popularity provided an important part of the artists' income. Included here are many great masterpieces, such as Utamaro's exquisite Pillow Book. Ultimately, the art of the floating world not only met the tastes and passions of the new urban classes, but also continued many classical themes from Japanese art and literature. This most elegant publication presents a comprehensive survey of ukiyo-e artists and their works, providing a fascinating resource for scholars and general readers alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'There are stunningly beautiful pictures of actors and courtesans, prostitutes, landscapes and flowers... Degas borrowed from them, Van Gogh copied them, and almost every important European artist was influenced by them.' (The Sunday Times)

About the Author

Gian Carlo Calza is Professor of East Asian Art History at the University of Venice, and Director of the International Hokusai Research Centre in Milan. He has published many books, exhibition catalogues and articles on Hokusai, and is currently preparing a catalogue raisonne of Hokusai's paintings. He was awarded the 2004 Uchiyama Prize by the International Ukiyo-e Society of Tokyo for his contribution to the study of Japanese Ukiyo-e ('Floating World') culture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 520 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (June 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714847941
• ISBN-13: 978-0714847948
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #691,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dont drop this book on your foot--OUCH!, January 28, 2006

By 

Rico Lebrun - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Ukiyo-e (Themes) (Hardcover)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book for Pictures, but not for Information, June 4, 2008

By 

Kara (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ukiyo-E (Paperback)

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.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Book as Art, December 22, 2005

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ukiyo-e (Themes) (Hardcover)

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