About the Author:
Stephen E. Marvin is a graduate of Stanford University in Asian Studies who has lived in the Far East continuously since 1982 and is fluent in both Japanese and Korean. In the course of his research he examined firsthand nearly 1000 Noh masks, including those held by traditional Noh troupes and in the collections of the finest museums; he benefited from the tutelage of several of the leading Japanese authorities on Noh masks and was privileged to interview the Grand Masters of the Kongpo and Umekawa troupes on numerous occasions.
Review:
Chiding the laziness of Western scholars and the insularity of experts in Japan who have studied Noh masks before, Stephen Marvin promises readers deeper knowledge of this topic. His exhaustive and beautifully produced two-volume study more than succeeds in doing this, becoming the definitive reference to Noh masks
...Readers who purchase this book solely for its superb illustrations will not be disappointed, because the reproductions are spectacular and Marvin is generous in his explanations about the masks, providing the names and technical terminology in Japanese both in the text and index. (Eric Rath, University of Kansas Asian Theatre Journal)
This sumptuously produced, two-volume set is not only a work of art in its own right; it is a Golconda of information that literally puts a face on a recondite subject. . . . The author writes with lucid energy, and the set stands as a landmark in the study of the Noh mask and its contexts. The volumes feel good in the hand; the fine details, down to the iridescent bronze-colored ribbon used for marking the page, speak of meticulous attention. Bravi to Stephen Marvin and to Floating World Editions for this surpassing accomplishment.
Melinda Takeuchi
Impressions: The Journal of the Japanese Art Society of America (Melinda Takeuchi Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal)
Heaven Has a Face is one of the most beautiful books I have worked with, intelligently laid out, and beautifully printed--and, of course, photographed; clearly, this is a publisher everyone interested in aesthetics should know about. The book is such a generous gift to all of us who want to understand or even just appreciate Noh, Japanese aesthetics, world theater, and the mysteries of the human heart and their physical manifestations that every collector will want a copy, every student of aesthetics will want to take a look, and every serious library should make it available. (The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism)
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