About this Item
Written almost entirely in Japanese, (with some English notations at the back on publisher, etc.), this first edition in slipcase was printed on January 20, 1975 and published on February 10, 1975. This is Volume 9 ONLY out of a 12 volume set, focusing on the masters of Ukiyo-e art. Ukiyo-e, meaning "pictures of the floating world," is a genre of Japanese art that flourished from the 17th to the 19th centuries. It primarily consists of woodblock prints and paintings that depict scenes of everyday life, landscapes, and theater, often featuring bold colors and stylized designs. Multiple artists are represented within this Volume 9. In addition to Utagawa Toyokuni I, also included is artwork from, Kunimasa, Toyohiro, Toyoharu, Toyokuni II, Kitagawa Utamaro, (known for his bijin-ga, or "pictures of beautiful women); Katsushika Hokusai, Hishikawa Moronobu, Utagawa Kuninao, and others. This book reads from back to front. Bound in off-white publisher's cloth, the front cover bears Japanese characters in black, and a decorative silver foil border along the spine. Black Japanese characters on the spine, also adorned with a red number 9. Illustrated dust jacket bears large illustrations in black and white on the front and back cover, with a bright orange spine with black and white lettering. Endpapers are illustrated with brown ink against a light brown paper. The first half of this book, (when reading correctly back to front), contains beautiful, full page plates of each artist's work with titles in Japanese, some of which are fold-out. The second half gives a lengthy section of details of each art piece with dimensions, signature name, what collection it was from, and the design and interpretation of each piece, along with a black and white "thumbnail" picture of the artwork. A list of illustrations is at the back. 143 pp. The slipcase matches the illustrations on the dust jacket, yet is in full color. The spine is black with white and red lettering. Laid in is a document in black and white, also written in Japanese, with additional information on author Juzo Suzuki with his photo, dimension information, and more information on the artwork. In the slipcase, this large folio copy measures 17 inches tall x 12 inches wide x 1.25 inches thick. OCLC #: 917528646.ABOUT THE MAIN ARTIST: Utagawa Toyokuni (1769-1825), also often referred to as Toyokuni I, to distinguish him from the members of his school who took over his go (art-name) after he died, was a great master of ukiyo-e, known in particular for his kabuki actor prints. He was the second head of the renowned Utagawa school of Japanese woodblock artists, and was the artist who elevated it to the position of great fame and power it occupied for the rest of the nineteenth century. (Wikipedia). ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Born in 1919, Juzo Suzuki was an art historian and Ukiyo-e expert. He graduated from the University of Tokyo. Other works of Suzuki's include "Sharaku (Masterworks of Ukiyo-e)", "The Decadents: Masterworks of Ukiyo-e", "Utagawa Hiroshige", and "Images Du Temps Qui Passe Peintures et Estampes d'Ukiyo-e". CONDITION: The book itself is near fine with some mild discoloration on the cover, and an attic smell (almost lightly musty, but definitely a vintage smell). The dust jacket is near fine with some rubbing and light crinkling at the head and foot. Slipcase if VG+ with some scratching and wear, particularly at the edges. Illustration plates are magnificent. A very nice, collectable copy. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the size and weight of this copy, an additional shipping charge may apply and will be requested after purchase. Full refund if not satisfied.
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