Japanese Woodblock Prints. 40th Anniversary Ed.

A visual history of Japanese masterpieces

The Japanese woodblock print is a phenomenon of which there exists no Western equivalent. This volume lifts the veil on a much-loved but little-understood art form by presenting the most exceptional Japanese woodblock prints in their historical context. From mystical mountains to snowy passes, samurai swordsmen to sex workers in shop windows, each piece is explored as a work of art in its own right, revealing the stories and people behind the motifs. Ranging from the 17th-century development of decadent ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world,” to the decline and later resurgence of prints in the early 20th century.