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Of Brigands and Bravery: Kuniyoshi’s Heroes of the Suikoden
NOW IN PAPERBACK
This is the first monograph in English on the stunning series "One hundred and eight heroes of the Suikoden". "The Suikoden" is the Japanese adaptation of the 14th-century Chinese vernacular novel "Shuihu zhuan", which recounts the exploits of a group of brave and righteous rebels on Mount Liang. "The Suikoden" was enormously popular in Japan during the 19th century. It was Kuniyoshi’s initial designs for the single-sheet print series "The one hundred and eight heroes of the Suikoden (Tsûzoku Suikoden gôketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori)" -- in which the full-length portraits of the heroes are charged with a new sense of dynamism -- that spurred a "Suikoden" craze in Edo (present-day Tokyo). This publication reproduces the 74 known designs of the series in full color, each accompanied by an explanatory text. Many of the designs still inspire Japanese tattooists, and supplementary information on this subject is also included in the book.
This is the first monograph in English on the stunning series "One hundred and eight heroes of the Suikoden". "The Suikoden" is the Japanese adaptation of the 14th-century Chinese vernacular novel "Shuihu zhuan", which recounts the exploits of a group of brave and righteous rebels on Mount Liang. "The Suikoden" was enormously popular in Japan during the 19th century. It was Kuniyoshi’s initial designs for the single-sheet print series "The one hundred and eight heroes of the Suikoden (Tsûzoku Suikoden gôketsu hyakuhachinin no hitori)" -- in which the full-length portraits of the heroes are charged with a new sense of dynamism -- that spurred a "Suikoden" craze in Edo (present-day Tokyo). This publication reproduces the 74 known designs of the series in full color, each accompanied by an explanatory text. Many of the designs still inspire Japanese tattooists, and supplementary information on this subject is also included in the book.
200 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 2, 2022
Spectacular book, with large reproductions of all the prints and some very interesting opening essays. My only complaint would be that it would have been nice to have a little more of the story / background of each print explained for us westerners that don't know the stories. The brief explanations left me wanting more.
With that said, the prints are gorgeous. You can definitely see why Kuniyoshi inspired a tattoo revival in Japan.
With that said, the prints are gorgeous. You can definitely see why Kuniyoshi inspired a tattoo revival in Japan.
September 18, 2016
The story of the 108 Suikodens has had a significant affect on my journey. This book shows many of the block prints and stories of the characters. It is an excellent addition to anyone who knows this story or someone who is interested in learning about the legend of these 108 heroes.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews