Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts (Hardcover)

by Julia M. White (Author), Reiko Mochinaga Brandon (Author), Yoko Woodson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This elegant book reproduces 200 prints by the most important and prolific Japanese artists of the 19th century, whose prints constitute the most recognizable images of Japanese art throughout the world.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: University of Washington Press; illustrated edition edition (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0295977663
• ISBN-13: 978-0295977669
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 8.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #835,922 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #11 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Artists, A-Z > ( G-I ) > Hiroshige
  #17 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Artists, A-Z > ( G-I ) > Hokusai
  #78 in	Books > Arts & Photography > Museums & Collections > Museums > Permanent Collection Catalogs

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a beautifully designed and well-written book, August 5, 2001

By	Merrily Baird (atlanta, ga USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Europeans and Americans discovered the world of Japanese woodblock prints and thus began an enduring love affair. One result has been the publication over the last century of literally hundreds of books and thousands of articles about the prints known as "ukiyoe," with a particular emphasis on such giants of the genre as Hokusai and Hiroshige. How then, in this crowded field, does one manage to create a must-have publication for readers who may already have well-stocked libraries on Japanese art?

One answer is to be found in "Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts." Issued by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco in conjunction with an exhibition, "Hokusai and Hiroshige" is typical of a new wave of "ukiyoe" books that combine excellent design (of layout and typography) with clear and interesting text. Every page displaying a print has a near equal amount of space devoted to text, and the book benefits as well from introductory essays by three established experts. The text in particular appeals to me, providing not only insights about the compositional nature of each print but also detail on the locales depicted by these two great landscape artists and appropriate historical information. There is room for improvement in "Hokusai and Hiroshige"--I would have preferred more standard romanizations for some Japanese words and the inclusion of an index covering well more than just print titles--but overall this is an excellent and valuable volume.

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect description, August 6, 2000

By	J. Fetzer "voracious reader" (Hercules, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This volume was the companion for the exhibits at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. It covers all the lerge number of works shown there, each with descriptions of what is depicted and some in the points of interest that highlight each artist's rendering of the scene. There are sections on the lives of each artist and the fairly primitive tools used to create these intricate multi-colored (and thus multi-pressed) prints. The full collection of sets, such as the Hokusai views of Mount Fuji, are very well done and would in themselves make this book worthwhile. The sum total of both these woodblock masters is awe inspiring and sumptuous.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Exposure to Japanese Prints, March 9, 2006

By	M. A. Woudenberg (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Being aware of the influence that Japanese print making had on European artists in the 19th century, but not having had much exposure to Japanese prints, I found this book to be a wonderful introduction. The essays that opened the book and the explicatory text that accompanied each print helped to establish a dialogue between the ideas that were exchanged between Oriental art and European art. I found this to be an excellent addition to my personal collection, and would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in this area.