Utamaro and the Spectacle of Beauty [Hardcover]

Julie Nelson Davis (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Hawaii Pr (April 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824831993
• ISBN-13: 978-0824831998
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,147,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, December 15, 2008

By 

A Customer (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Utamaro and the Spectacle of Beauty (Hardcover)

This book is one of the most significant and important contributions to the field of scholarship in ukiyo-e. The argument is more sophisticated than the previous reviewer suggests -- rather than "stripping" the artist of "his individuality" Davis argues convincingly that the prints were designed to sell an enhanced reputation for Utamaro -- and that he and his publisher used their connections and period ideas of sophistication to create an aura of celebrity around Utamaro. It's a scholarly book, not a general one, that uses an impressive range of theory, primary documentation, and close analysis to give a new idea of the ukiyo-e artist. If you don't believe me, consider Donald Richie's review in the Japan Times: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fb20080323dr.html

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Long winded, December 11, 2008

By 

David Stokes - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Utamaro and the Spectacle of Beauty (Hardcover)

The publisher's description about this book makes it sound pioneering, which it isn't. It's a slow read and there are a number of mistakes in the text. Nelson Davis dwells on points too long so you get the urge to skip ahead and she argues that Utamaro wasn't so much a person as a created persona, like a brand name. She strips the artist of his individuality and implies he was little more than a tool with no real personal voice - not an argument that I think holds water. The usual Utamaro prints are illustrated so there's nothing new there.