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All images by courtesy of Hotei Publishing, Leiden in the Netherlands. Text descriptions are from the book covers. For more details and to order these great books online, visit the publisher's web site Hotei Publishing.

The number of books about ukiyo-e is vast but many are out of print and available only on the antiquarian market. Here are a few recommendations of excellent, available and very popular ukiyo-e books. They are both educational and a pleasure to read and look at. And they are written for the beginners to the subject of ukiyo-e and for experts alike.

Yoshitoshi's One Hundred Aspects of the Moon

"Yoshitoshi was the most influential and prolific woodblock print artist of Meiji Japan. This book presents his masterpiece, Tsuki hyakushi "One hundred aspects of the moon" The series was begun in 1885 and completed just before the artist's death in 1892. It was wildly popular even as it was being produced. New designs were eagerly awaited, with editions selling out before dawn on the day of publication. Each of the one hundred images in the series is shown here in full colour and nearly life-size. Opposite each design a commentary gives the story behind the picture. These wonderful tales form a panorama of Japanese history and legend that resonates with the richness and subtlety of traditional Japanese culture."

ISBN 90-74822-42-8

The Female Image

"The female image is a comprehensive survey of the genre of bijinga (prints of beautiful women) produced in the shin hanga tradition that evolved in the early 20th century. This bilingual (Japanese/English) publication is lavishly illustrated with works from Japanese, European and American public and private collections. Included are not only prints by major artists such as Hashiguchi Goyo (1880-1921), Torii Kotondo (1900-76) and Itô Shinsui (1898-1972), but also examples from more obscure print designers which have rarely been reproduced. An essay by Shinji Hamanaka of the Yamatane Museum of Art in Tokyo regarding the concept of bijinga and by Amy Reigle Newland on the appreciation of shin hanga in the West provide further insight into aspects of bijinga and shin hanga."

ISBN 90-74822-20-7

Time Present and Time Past

"Toyohara Kunichika (1835-1900) is viewed as one of the last Ukiyo-e masters whose artistic career coincided with a period of immense change in Japan. The first English-language publication devoted to Kunichika, Time present and time past discusses the artist's fascinating life, drawing upon Japanese and Western sources. Over 130 prints illustrate Kunichika's bold design sense. These, together with appendices reproducing a selection of the artist's signatures/seals and publishers' seals as well as an extensive bibliography, make this book an invaluable reference work."

ISBN 90-74822-11-8

Kuniyoshi - The Faithful Samurai

"A pioneering publication which deals with the most famous series - the Seichû gishi den (1847-48) and its sequel the Seichû gishin den (1848) - of the forty-seven masterless samurai (rônin) by artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861). The true 18th century tale of revenge by forty-seven rônin for the death of their lord was enormously popular in Japan: it was dramatized for the Kabuki theatre and its heroes were often depicted in Ukiyo-e prints. Kuniyoshi was a master in the genre of warrior prints, and his series expressively portrays these warrior folk heroes. Dr. Weinberg's book also includes translations of the texts which appear on the prints and which recount each hero's exploits. In addition, there are photographs of the relics of the masterless samurai and the ruins of their castle in Akô."

ISBN 90-74822-17-7

Heroes & Ghosts

"Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) is considered one of the greatest Japanese print artists. He dominated the 19th century alongside the illustrious names of Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kunisada. A prolific and multi-talented artist, Kuniyoshi portrayed the historic heroes of Japan's warrior past. Kuniyoshi's sense of humor surfaces in his prints of comical or satirical subjects (giga-e). In his more traditional rendering of beauties and actors his strong and transparent style always shines through. By using over three hundred examples from public and private collections, the author has managed to produce the most comprehensive overview of the artist's abilities in a Western language. This publication was produced on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Society for Japanese Arts."

ISBN 90-74822-10-x

Of Brigands and Bravery

"The first monograph in English on the stunning series of seventy-four prints illustrating figures from the Suikoden by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861), one of the outstanding Japanese woodblock-print masters of the 19th century. The Suikoden (commonly known in English as The Water Margin) is the Japanese adaptation of the 14th century Chinese vernacular novel, the Shuizu zhuan, which recounts the exploits of a group of rebels on Mount Liang under the leadership of the brave and righteous Song Jiang. Of brigands and bravery reproduces the 74 known designs of the series The one hundred and eight heroes of the Suikoden (Tsûzoku Suikoden gôketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori) in full colour; each is accompanied by an explanatory text. The publication also offers supplementary information on topics relating specifically to the series such as Japanese tattoo art."

ISBN 90-74822-08-8

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