Animals by Kuniyoshi: Ukiyo-E Paper Book Format: Paperback

In old Tokyo, known as "Edo" during the early modern period, fashion sheets and entertainment magazines came in the form of "Ukiyo-e" ("pictures of the floating world"). There were many Ukiyo-e shops in Edo, which sold various woodblock prints, just as news agents or book shops sell magazines or posters today. Each Ukiyo-e print was sold individually to customers, who bought these beautifully printed sheets on beautiful Japanese paper to learn the most up-to-date trends of the day, and who also sometimes enjoyed them as artworks or as interior decor by displaying them on their walls.

Following the success of Cats by Kuniyoshi and Surprise! by Kuniyoshi, this new title showcases 60 art reproductions of various animals featured in the woodblock prints of the outstanding Ukiyo-e master, Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861). Sparrows, foxes, whales, goldfishes, octopus and many other animals are depicted humorously and satirically alongside human subjects.

For added interest, each of the 60 prints can be removed easily, offering today's readers a fun and authentic way to appreciate Ukiyo-e. The simple, yet unique, design on the back side of each page offers readers even more creative ideas. (English/Japanese Bilingual text)

Nobuhisa Kaneko is a curatorial staff of the Fuchu Art Museum, Tokyo. He was born in 1962 in Tokyo and specializes in the history of Edo period (1600-1868) painting. He is the author of Tabi suru Edo kaiga: Rimpa kara dohanga made ( Travelling Edo painting: from Rinpa school to copperplate; PIE Books, 2010) and a co-author of Bessatsu Taiyo Edo Kaiga Nyumon (An Introduction to Edo Painting; Heibonsha, 2007. He has been actively conducting research, curating exhibitions, and writing in his endeavors to bridge the gap between the art of the past and people of today.

Kuniyoshi Utagawa (1797-1861) was one of the great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting. Born in 1797 to a silk-dyer, he helped his father's business as a pattern designer. His drawing talent from an early age attracted the attention of the famous print master Toyokuni Utagawa, and Kuniyoshi became one of his apprentices in 1811. The range of Kuniyoshi's preferred subjects included many genres: landscapes, beautiful women, Kabuki actors, mythical animals, and cats.

Kuniyoshi Utagawa (1797-1861) was one of the great masters of the Japanese ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints and painting. Born in 1797 to a silk-dyer, he helped his father's business as a pattern designer. His drawing talent from an early age attracted the attention of the famous print master Toyokuni Utagawa, and Kuniyoshi became one of his apprentices in 1811. The range of Kuniyoshi's preferred subjects included many genres: landscapes, beautiful women, Kabuki actors, mythical animals, and cats.