Masterpieces of Japanese Prints: The European Collections Ukiyo-E from the Victoria and Albert Museum

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 diverse preoccupations of the people of Edo Japan. Such was the appeal of this unique art in the West that tens of thousands of superb prints eventually found their way into European collections, constituting perhaps the largest single genre of Japanese art to have left the country's shores.
Unfortunately, little more than a sampling is on view to the public at any given time, and lesser still are the chances to see these prints in venues outside of Europe. Masterpieces of Japanese Prints: The European Collections presents for the first time in English a prime selection of ukiyo-e from major European collections.
The present volume highlights over 130 outstand. ing 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 eloquence and drama. of Japanese landscape.
The prints form a breathtaking panorama of the world of ukiyo-e from its inception by artists originally trained in classical schools of Japanese painting to its final flowering at the end of the nineteenth cen-tury. 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 influence of Japanese woodblock prints remains strong to this day. Their lasting appeal may be rooted in the richness of their imagery and the power of their innovation, or perhaps in their uncanny ability to convey with irresistible charm the unerring 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 capture the essence of this astonishingly versatile art form.