Hiroshige: One Hundred Famous Views of Edo

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A spectacular achievement

Absolutely magnificent.

Bridging the gap between Edo and Tokyo.

Hiroshige: One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Henry D. Smith , and Ando Hiroshige
Manufacturer: George Braziller
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Hiroshige | ( G-I ) | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Hiroshige's Journey in the 60-Odd Provinces (Famous Japanese Print Series)

Hiroshige

Ukiyo-E Ukiyo-E

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Hokusai Hokusai

ASIN: B000KHXBSG

Amazon.com

Besides being the catalog of a marvelous exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Hiroshige: One Hundred Famous Views of Edo is the definitive study of the last series of landscapes produced by the Japanese woodblock-print artist Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858). These designs of Edo, or modern Tokyo, are among the most familiar images of Japanese art in the world: copies were printed by the thousands until the wooden blocks wore out. The Brooklyn Museum's set is of the highest quality, early impressions with extraordinarily skilful and subtle use of printing techniques, especially color gradation. Each of the designs, which ultimately numbered 118, is shown in the book full-size with a long caption on the facing page. The author's descriptions, impeccably researched, take us on a guided tour of the old city. Many of the locations are shown at festival time and demonstrate the richness of daily life and customs in premodern Japan.

A notable feature of the series is its use of what we would now call cinematic effects: abrupt framing that cuts a figure in half, or extreme juxtapositions of near and distant elements. Examples include an "aerial" view of the environs of Edo dominated by a close-up image of an eagle, and a study of the Horikiri iris gardens in which sightseers are seen through stalks that seem only inches away. Such imaginative and daring effects must have startled contemporaries. Sudden Shower at Ohashi Bridge uses slashing lines to indicate rain--it was copied in oils by van Gogh, who, like several other impressionist painters including Monet, was the proud owner of many Japanese prints. Hiroshige is a beautifully produced book; with individual designs of the series costing tens of thousands of dollars; owning a copy is a consolation for not owning the prints themselves. --John Stevenson

Book Description

Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, actually composed of 118 splendid woodblock landscape and genre scenes of mid-nineteenth century Tokyo, is one of the greatest achievements of Japanese art. The series contains many of Hiroshige's best-loved and most extraordinary prints. Like Venice and Florence in the 14th and 15th centuries, or Paris in the age of the Impressionists, the city of Edo, with its superb landmarks and its festive display of elegant urban life, exerts a special and compelling fascination. Hiroshige revealed the panorama of his city's activities with subtle and vivid visual anecdotes: fireworks seen from the river, fashionable geishas on parade, the kabuki district at night, intimate moments in the gardens and teahouses. It is a tour de force of artistic vision and printmaking craftsmanship. This edition has been reproduced from an exceptionally fine, first-edition set in the Brooklyn Museum of Art to insure maximum fidelity to the original prints. Henry Smith ex-plains the world of Edo in its twilight before the Meiji Restoration and the beginnings of a modern urban society. Each plate is accompanied by a commentary that discusses its artistic and cultural interest in detail. For anyone interested in Japan, the One Hundred Famous Views of Edo is perhaps the finest guide and one of the greatest legacies imaginable.

Customer Reviews:

A spectacular achievement.......2007-02-05

This huge and beautiful book is an achievement in itself, but I really meant Hiroshige's original cycle of prints, 118 in all. They cover every aspect of the bustling city: summer and snow, crowds and quiet, industrial sectors, temples, and pleasure quarters. In some, the city's people are clearly the focus of attention. In others, they are implicit and unseen. Even when birds, exotic trees, or vast landscapes dominate, the human presence remains. This is about the city, after all, and the city is always there.

Hiroshige's composition displays distinctive layering. His strong, immediate foregrounds place the viewer directly in the scene, then lead the viewer inward and onward to skies and mountains in the distance. It's dramatic and engaging, and striking by its absence in the very few images composed by his successor.

Japanese prints are hugely more complex and subtle than nearly anything in the Western canon. These masterworks are built up from images on a dozen or more blocks, perfectly aligned on the printed sheet of paper. That comes through beautifully in these large reproductions, even in the subtleties of "bokashi" gradients of color. Even so, the commentary reminds us of how much we're missing. The originals are often overprinted in lustrous mica, in glossy inks that emphasizes an eagle's claws, and in un-inked embossing or "cloth printing." Between the dramatic printing in these reproductions and the authors' description, we get nearly the whole effect of the imagery anyway.

I recommend this book to any reader, whether a connoisseur of fine prints already or some who can learn to love them - in otherwords, to everyone.

//wiredweird

Absolutely magnificent........1999-09-04

In college I met one of the sons of George Braziler, the publisher, and feel that the wonderful quality of their art books reflects the generous and thoughtful nature of their family. The prints are meticulously reproduced, complete with woodgrain. The written text takes the reader back to another time within a totally different culture with subtle details explained. More generally, Japanese prints represent an effort to provide art to the normal working people, not just wealthy aristocrats. Hiroshige memorializes the exquisite and delicate mood of ancient Japan and lets you feel their experiences.

Bridging the gap between Edo and Tokyo........1997-02-12

Darcy Kishida (midk@crisscross.com) Anyone who has ever visited modern Tokyo knows what a dreary and uninviting place it can be. Monotonous rows of offices, apartments with no charm whatsoever, and a shocking lack of architectural originality conspire to rob the metropolis of most of the character it once had. "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo" will, if not completely change your opinion of Tokyo, at least make you see the city in a new light, enabling the reader to look past the run down buildings and aging neon and view the city as it used to be: an enchanting place virtually untouched by foreign influences and filled with ancient shrines, women in kimono, swaggering samurai, Kabuki theaters, the pleasure quarters, and everything else we associate with old Japan. It will also, if you're not already, make you fall in love with the art of ukiyo-e. "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo" succeeds in two ways. First, from a purely artistic point of view, it is a stunning collection of all 118 prints in Hiroshige's "Meisho Edo Hyakkei" series (One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo), full-size and faithfully reproduced from the Brooklyn Museum's high quality set of mostly first edition prints. The book is unique in that it includes, in addition to the acknowledged masterpieces such as "Plum Estate, Kameido" and "Sudden Shower over Shin-Ohashi Bridge and Atake," many inferior prints which are rarely, if ever, seen. Here though, every print, even the obscure ones, is given its own commentary. Henry D. Smith II, a professor of Japanese history at Columbia University, wrote the commentaries accompanying the plates and explains in his introduction that only focusing on the stronger designs "discourages the appreciation of the many strong features of the lesser designs, and it also distracts attention from the descriptive qualities that clearly appealed to Hiroshige's audience and that can teach us much today about the city of Edo and its culture." Also significant is the fact that "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo" shows us the series as it was meant to be seen. Those who are familiar with Hiroshige already know that this was his last series and it was enormously popular. As was the case with most ukiyo-e prints, the first edition copies were generally of the highest quality, with sharp, clear lines and delicately graded colors. In later printings, which are comparatively plentiful, a sharp drop in the subtlety of color becomes obvious and the once clean lines begin to blur. The majority of the prints from the Brooklyn Museum fall into the former category. As Professor Smith notes, the great success of the series "led to countless later impressions of far inferior quality, eliminating the most refined printing effects and transforming the color schemes in ways that utterly destroyed the expressive intent of the first impressions." Even to the untrained eye, a side-by-side comparison between a high quality, early impression and a hastily made later one will quickly make this clear. Any ukiyo-e connoisseur will tell you that there is really nothing else like a well-preserved, first edition copy of a favorite print and these are in abundance in "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo". As impressive as the prints are, however, the commentary is what steals the show here, giving the reader fascinating glimpses into what was the city of Edo and its inhabitants. It has the effect of turning the prints into virtual postcards, which, in the absence of Edo era photographs, serve as a precious visual record of the city and its customs. In his commentary, Smith has the uncanny ability to make even the most mundane details fascinating. Mediocre plates, which would normally hold your attention for only a few seconds at most, are given substance and life by Smith, whose keen eye and attention to detail turn these lesser designs into mini history lessons, travel guides, or short biographies. A good example is plate 70 (Nakagawa River Mouth), which, artistically, this writer considers among the worst of the series. Here were are given a short history of Edo's canal system, learn where its citizens procured their salt, and discover how the scene has changed in the last 150 years. The print is thus saved from obscurity by, ironically, acting as a sort of visual supplement to Smith's text instead of the other way around. The amazing variety of the locations and subject matter of the 118 views and their astute commentary combine to bring Edo alive for the viewer, making it seem strangely familiar and real. We regret the loss of so many beautiful places to modernization and cherish the few precious gems that remain. "One Hundred Famous Views Of Edo" will make those who have never been to Tokyo want to go and former residents want to return for a visit. As for the fortunate who live there now, this book can only increase their appreciation of the city and its unique history.

Japanese Print-Making: a Handbook of Traditional & Modern Techniques

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Japanese Print-Making: a Handbook of Traditional & Modern Techniques

Manufacturer: Tuttle; Prentice-Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Product Description

A Major Resource on the Techmique of Woodblock Print-Making, 176p., with original color woodcut frontis 18 color & b.w. plates + 103 figures, index,bibliography, appendix, co-author R Yuki, dj. An important book by a member of the famous Yoshida print- making family. With a preface by Oliver Statler. Some artist represented are: Hiroshige, Moronobu, Sharaku, Yamaguchi and Azechi. Co-authored by Rei Yuki. This work is an expository essay addressing the traditional & modern print making techniques: preparation, carving, printing materials & tools, printing process. Modern prints: the development of modern prints, principles of technique, effects produced by various blocks, certain special effects, effects from overprinting, from conception to realization. With useful appendices to beginners and collectors, use of block printing. A valuable reference for any student or collector of Japanese prints. This also contains solid instruction on color woodblock printing. Written and organized by the son of Hiroshi Yoshida, the celebrated mid-19th century color woodblock print artist. Toshi is also known as a successful color woodblock This also contains solid instruction on color woodblock printing.

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Quiet and beautiful

The Sketchbooks of Hiroshige
Hiroshige Ando
Manufacturer: George Braziller
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807611050

Book Description

An exquisite presentation of unique sketchbooks by the great Japanese master Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858). While Hiroshige's splendid woodblock prints, in particular his Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido Road, are among the most widely reproduced and best-loved prints in Japanese history, his sketches have rarely been circulated or seen. The sketchbooks date from around 1840 and were created as Hiroshige traveled around Japan. They contain subject matter that ranges from serene landscape and rural scenes to delightful renderings of interiors, historical figures, and animals. The colors are fresh, the renderings fluid, and the use of space astonishing, allowing a sort of fantasy not always possible in the harder lines of woodblock printing. Most importantly, these drawings are of enormous charm to the eye; even those unacquainted with Japanese art will find them an enchanting example of Japanese color, design and subject matter. This one-volume edition has been printed in Japan to ensure the highest quality in reproducing the nuances of Hiroshige's masterpieces, which are reproduced to size and in their original order. 100 pages of color illustrations, 50 black-and-white illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Quiet and beautiful.......2007-09-13

Once you've been captivated by the beauty of Japanese prints, you will surely want to know more about the people and times that created them. This book offers a unique glimpse at the creative process, in the form of fifty watercolor and ink sketches.

The authors have chosen an unusual but comfortable format: sections of the book are printed alternately on white and buff paper. The first section, in white, introduces the collection - a donation to the U.S. Library of Congress. Next, fifty two-page spreads on buff paper present the sketches themselves. If you can't lay hands on Hiroshige's original sketchbooks, this is the next best thing. Toned paper imitates the aging of Hiroshige's sketchpad, now well past 150 years old. It also creates a correct impression of how the ink and colors actually appear, set against that background color. Since the original drawings each spanned the fold of a two-page spread, the reproductions do too - with the book's actual fold in the same place as the original's. Another section of white paper with black printing follows. Each page reproduces one of the drawings, reduced and without color, to remind the reader of what that page's discussion refers to. A second sketchbook follows, on buff paper, and its commentary, in black and white. As you may guess, these high production values carry over into the printing itself - beautiful, delicate, and detailed, so that every nuance of line and shading exposes itself to study.

Although helpful, the book's commentary does little more than state the location of a scene or the myth from which an image is drawn. I don't mind that minimalism. The picture draw my eye so forcefuly that it's hard to pay attention to the text. This has my highest recommendation to anyone who loves Japanese prints, or Japanese art in general.

-- wiredweird

Average customer rating:

a gift
Stunning Printing Quality and Perfect Color...
Simply gorgeous!

Hiroshige: Birds and Flowers
Hiroshige Ando
Manufacturer: George Braziller
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807611999

Customer Reviews:

a gift.......2000-12-18

A beautiful book: the colors sing. This is joyful, breathtaking, work from one of the world's true artists, of any period. A wonderful gift.

Stunning Printing Quality and Perfect Color..........1999-01-23

... coupled with a large format and excellent translations, makes this the single most important volume for lovers of Hiroshige, and especially for those fond of his kacho-ga (birds and flowers). This is not just another art book. You won't understand until you see it. And you must see it.

Simply gorgeous!.......1998-09-28

This is simply one of the most beautiful books ever published (on any subject)!!! Hiroshige has collected some of the most attractive Japanese color prints ever created, replete with Japanese poetry and translations. I literally could not put this book down -- I also gasped in awe several times. Braziller has done a wonderful job -- the book is coffee table sized and is bound with quality and workmanship. This is a class act in all regards. Some might balk at the price tag, but believe me it is well worth it!

Hiroshige Fan Prints at the V and A (V & A Far Eastern)

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Hiroshige Fan Prints at the V and A (V & A Far Eastern)
Rupert Faulkner
Manufacturer: V & A Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1851773320

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MaybeBestBook
Superlative Art Book about Superlative Artist.
Amazing
A wonderful collection of Hiroshige's work.
The must-have book for those wishing to understand Hiroshige

Hiroshige
Matthi Forrer , Suzuki Juzo , and Henry D. Smith
Manufacturer: Prestel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3791325949

Book Description

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) holds an assured place in the history of art as one of the greatest masters of the wood-block print. This volume offers an excellent overview of the accomplished artist who, together with Hokusai, was the leading creator of landscape imagery in Japanese printmaking.

If Hokusai is recognized for his bold compositions and clearly defined forms, Hiroshige is the master of the passing moment - the artist of mist, snow, and rain. The immense popularity of Hiroshige's prints meant that they were continually reprinted, wearing down the woodblocks. For this book, every effort has been made to reproduce only the finest early impressions. Each plate is provided with a commentary by Matthi Forrer who, in an introductory essay, examines Hiroshige's life and work, assessing his place in Japanese art and making important revisions to the generally accepted chronology of his oeuvre. Other essays draw attention to aspects of Hiroshige's life and work which have often been overlooked and place Hiroshige and his art in their social and political context. This volume also includes maps, a chronology, a glossary and a bibliography.

Customer Reviews:

MaybeBestBook.......2006-03-21

The text provides the necessary background to facilitate understanding of the fantastic pictures. A great variety of photos provide wonderful insight into the world of Hiroshige. The pictures can be perused for pure enjoyment. Terrific book.

Superlative Art Book about Superlative Artist........2003-11-18

Quick, stop reading this review and buy this Hardcover book in New or Like New condition now, while you can. For, this is one of the greastest modern so-called 'coffee table' art books that I have come across. Too often these days one finds that such art books which should be large, lushly produced, lovingly put together and brilliantly written are unfortunately done with punk production values resulting in poor reproductions on cheap looking paper stock and accompanied by unedifying, often stultifying essays. Not this one. As I said above it is one of the most impressive art books that I have come across in twenty years of buying them. It is printed and bound in Germany which in itself is commendable and noteworthy because it is quite expensive to produce a book there. I am so glad they did because, as good as they are, Italy and Hong Kong, two places commonly used for producing today's art books, just don't do as good a job as Prestel has done in Germany. This book was originally produced to accompany an exhibition at the Royal Academy of the Arts during 1997. As such, it commanded a skilled and erudite staff of authors to craft both an accurate history and an illuminating commentary of the artist and his art. They are: Matthi Forrer, author of a similar book on Hokusai; Suzuki Juzo, the author of the standard monograph on Hiroshige; and Henry Smith a Professor of Japanese History at Columbia U. You will come back to this book many times over the years because there is so darned much information to absorb, visually and intellectually and because the publisher's top notch production values have accurately captured the spirit and beauty of Hiroshige's Woodblock Prints. This is the sort of book that will be actively sought out by art book collectors in years to come. This is why I say, buy it now, while you can at such a low price. You won't be sorry.

Amazing.......2000-05-04

I have no experience with art at all, but from my point of view this book is a jewl. Printings are so beautiful and relaxing, and they are numerous in this book. Also the book is well organized with explanations about the paintings.

A wonderful collection of Hiroshige's work........1999-11-19

Buy this book for the reproductions if nothing else. If you have seen good Hiroshige prints in their original condition, you know how much is usually lost in most reproductions. This book gets you about as close to the real thing as you are likely to find. The colors are magnificent.

The must-have book for those wishing to understand Hiroshige.......1999-10-31

A very comprehensive catalogue of Hiroshige's greatest prints. The book also includes some prints that are more obscure, as well as preparatory sketches and several printing blocks. Attractive as a coffee-table style hardback for those with a passing interest in Ukiyoe, it also is a must-have for those devotees wishing to understand the art of Japan's great landscape print artist.

Hiroshige's Journey in the 60-Odd Provinces (Famous Japanese Print Series)

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An excellent print series edition.
hiroshiges journey in the 60-odd provinces

Hiroshige's Journey in the 60-Odd Provinces (Famous Japanese Print Series)
Marije Jansen
Manufacturer: Hotei Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 9074822606

Customer Reviews:

An excellent print series edition........2007-03-18

There are too few book editions of the print series of Hiroshige. There are a few books featuring his "100 Views of Edo" such as the excellent one by Uspensky which I own; a smallish paperback version of the first edition of "53 Stations of the Tokaido" by Muneshige Narazaki; and a book featuring his early bird and flower prints. This book by Marije Jansen is a fine and welcome addition to the few books we have.
The book illustrates Hiroshige's "Rokujuyoshu Meisho Zue", "The Famous Views of Sixty-odd Provinces", meaning "more than sixty provinces". The prints featured are from the first edition set owned by Professor Gerhard Pulverer, and were once owned by Frank Lloyd Wright. The introduction features the ubiquitous biography of Hiroshige, followed by an overview of his well known landscape series, an overview of the Provinces series illustrated, a discussion of the format used, later editions of the series, and an explanation regarding the Pulverer prints.
After the introduction, there is a map of Japan showing the locations of every print in the series. The map, and the accompanying key on the opposite page, show that the prints were arranged geographically.
The main body of the book has explanatory text and images on the left hand pages, with a full page print from the series on the right. There are 70 prints. These include the table of contents print, 68 prints of the Provinces, and a print of the capital Edo (#17).
The author gives a brief explanation of each print and what it depicts. A great deal of research has been done on the historical, artistic, and literary background of each scene.
In the upper left of the text page there is factual information on the date, the censors, the block-cutter, and the publisher. The location of the various seals is explained for every print. At the bottom of every text page is a smaller version of the print keyed to a description of how later editions degraded in quality. These include things like poorer colors, missing colors, loss of wood grain, etc. There are usually 10-12 items described per print. This is invaluable for collectors and artists studying wood block printing.
Unlike his prints of the Edo and Fuji environs, and his Tokaido series, Hiroshige did not visit all the locations shown. He was one of the first Japanese landscape artists who actually did make prints from sketches of places he actually visited. It was customary for artists to use the sketches or verbal descriptions of others to make prints, and many of the prints in this series were taken from the guidebook "Sansui Kikan" by Fuchigami Kyokko (26 of the prints), as well as other sources. The prints are wonderful however.
The images are large and beautiful, and this book will give you many hours of enjoyment. You'll want to look through the prints again and again. I know I do.

hiroshiges journey in the 60-odd provinces.......2005-08-17

the book is totally wonderful! completely met my expectations. i couldn"t be happier with it or the service.

Hiroshige Postcard Book (Prestel Postcard Books)

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Hiroshige Postcard Book (Prestel Postcard Books)
Utagawa Hiroshige
Manufacturer: Prestel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Cards

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ASIN: 3791333321

The Hundred Poets Compared: A Print Series by Kuniyoshi, Hiroshige, and Kunisada

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The Hundred Poets Compared: A Print Series by Kuniyoshi, Hiroshige, and Kunisada
Henk J. Herwig , and Joshua S. Mostow
Manufacturer: Hotei Publishing
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9074822827

Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts

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First Exposure to Japanese Prints
a beautiful companion
a beautiful companion
a beautifully designed and well-written book
The perfect description

Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts
Julia M. White , Reiko Mochinaga Brandon , and Yoko Woodson
Manufacturer: University of Washington Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0295977663

Customer Reviews:

First Exposure to Japanese Prints.......2006-03-09

Being aware of the influence that Japanese print making had on European artists in the 19th century, but not having had much exposure to Japanese prints, I found this book to be a wonderful introduction. The essays that opened the book and the explicatory text that accompanied each print helped to establish a dialogue between the ideas that were exchanged between Oriental art and European art. I found this to be an excellent addition to my personal collection, and would highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in this area.

a beautiful companion.......2002-01-27

I have not "finished" this book, nor do I intend to for a long time. I take it out to admire, print by print, sometimes reading the informative text, sometimes not. This is not a comic book to rush through. Linger, enjoy.

a beautiful companion.......2002-01-27

a beautifully designed and well-written book.......2001-08-05

In the second half of the nineteenth century, Europeans and Americans discovered the world of Japanese woodblock prints and thus began an enduring love affair. One result has been the publication over the last century of literally hundreds of books and thousands of articles about the prints known as "ukiyoe," with a particular emphasis on such giants of the genre as Hokusai and Hiroshige. How then, in this crowded field, does one manage to create a must-have publication for readers who may already have well-stocked libraries on Japanese art?

One answer is to be found in "Hokusai and Hiroshige: Great Japanese Prints from the James A. Michener Collection, Honolulu Academy of Arts." Issued by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco in conjunction with an exhibition, "Hokusai and Hiroshige" is typical of a new wave of "ukiyoe" books that combine excellent design (of layout and typography) with clear and interesting text. Every page displaying a print has a near equal amount of space devoted to text, and the book benefits as well from introductory essays by three established experts. The text in particular appeals to me, providing not only insights about the compositional nature of each print but also detail on the locales depicted by these two great landscape artists and appropriate historical information. There is room for improvement in "Hokusai and Hiroshige"--I would have preferred more standard romanizations for some Japanese words and the inclusion of an index covering well more than just print titles--but overall this is an excellent and valuable volume.

The perfect description.......2000-08-07

This volume was the companion for the exhibits at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. It covers all the lerge number of works shown there, each with descriptions of what is depicted and some in the points of interest that highlight each artist's rendering of the scene. There are sections on the lives of each artist and the fairly primitive tools used to create these intricate multi-colored (and thus multi-pressed) prints. The full collection of sets, such as the Hokusai views of Mount Fuji, are very well done and would in themselves make this book worthwhile. The sum total of both these woodblock masters is awe inspiring and sumptuous.

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