Masterpieces of Japanese Prints: Ukiyo-e from the Victoria and Albert Museum

by Rupert Faulkner

Ever since Japan opened its doors to the West in the latter half of the nineteenth century, Westerners have been fascinated by the exquisite art forms that flourished during the previous two hundred years of self-imposed isolation. Among the most intriguing were the bold yet refined paintings
and prints known as ukiyo-e, which portrayed the popular pursuits of the time with extraordinary power. Such was the appeal of this unique art in the West that tens of thousands of superb prints eventually found their way into museum collections around the world.

The present volume highlights over 130 outstanding examples from the vast holdings of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Strikingly original and sumptuously colored, the ukiyo-e in these pages recapture the spirit of the period in which they were created. Here can be found the glamorous
courtesans of the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters, the flamboyant vigor of kabuki theater, and the diversities of the Japanese landscape.

The prints form a breathtaking panorama of the world of ukiyo-e from its inception to its final flowering at the end of the nineteenth century. Complementary texts by Rupert Faulkner and Richard Lane illuminate the craft of woodblock print making and explore the emergence of such versatile geniuses
as Hokusai and Hiroshige.

The lasting appeal of Japanese woodblock prints may be rooted in the richness of their imagery and the power of their innovation, or perhaps in their uncanny ability to convey the special vitality of Edo Japan. Whatever the case, this lavish volume seeks not only to pay homage to the Japanese
artists and craftsmen who took the woodblock print to unprecedented heights, but also to show the range of this astonishingly versatile art form.

156 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 1997

Reviews

[James Varney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, just a great ukiyo-e book. The introduction is by Richard Lane, who wrote one of the top books on the genre and I swear this intro is better than the book. Lane has a tendency to wax rhapsodic about the prints (a lot of ukiyo-e writers do this), and in the tighter, scaled-down format of an introduction his insight is sharper and his prose clearer. The quality of the prints in this book (as the subtitle notes, from the Victoria and Albert Museum) is first class, too. The plates feature some outstanding benizuri-e prints, especially one by Kiyohiro in the mid-18th century. The Kunisada and Kuniyoshi prints feature a lot of perhaps lesser known works - early ones by the former (which the critics all prefer) and Hiroshige-like horizontal prints of Edo scenes by the latter - rather than their more famous prints (like Kuniyoshi's warriors). But it's a great book all-around; highly recommended.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

And to think I was IN the Victoria & Albert Museum, but didn't have the interest then that I do now. I shall have to go back!

The book goes into detail of how the prints were made and includes many illustrations from the museum. Loved it.