Description
Explore the captivating world of Japanese art with 'Utamaro and the Spectacle of Beauty.' This beautifully illustrated book showcases the influential ukiyo-e artist Kitagawa Utamaro (1753–1806), renowned for his exquisite prints of beautiful women. Delve into the historical context of Late Eighteenth-Century Japan and discover how Utamaro's art reflected the cultural vibrancy of Edo, the city of beauty. In this new expanded edition published by Reaktion Books in 2021, author Julie Nelson Davis draws from a plethora of primary sources to offer fresh insights into Utamaro's life and work. The book discusses Utamaro's controversial print series, 'Hideyoshi and his Five Concubines,' and the impactful events that surrounded its release, shedding light on the tension between art and societal norms in his time.Through an in-depth analysis of selected print sets, readers are invited to reconceive Utamaro’s contributions to the ukiyo-e genre and appreciate his role in the commercial print market of Edo, ultimately illustrating how his artistry participated in the larger spectacle of beauty. This brand new edition, ISBN: 9781789142358, is a must-have for art lovers, historians, and anyone intrigued by Japanese culture. Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781789142358
Year: 2021
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Description:
Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro (1753–1806) was one of the most influential artists working in the genre of ukiyo-e, 'pictures of the floating world,' in late eighteenth-century Japan, and was widely appreciated for his prints of beautiful women.
In 1804, at the height of his success, Utamaro published a set of prints related to a banned historical novel. The prints, titledHideyoshi and his Five Concubines, depicted the military ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife and concubines, and consequently, he was accused of insulting Hideyoshi's dignity. Utamaro was sentenced to be handcuffed for fifty days and is thought to have been briefly imprisoned. According to some sources, the experience crushed him emotionally and ended his career as an artist.
In this new expanded edition, Julie Nelson Davis draws on a wide range of period sources, makes a close study of selected print sets, and reinterprets Utamaro in the context of his times. Reconstructing the place of the ukiyo-e artist within the commercial print market, she demonstrates how Utamaro's images participated in a larger spectacle of beauty in the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo).
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781789142358
Year: 2021
Publisher: Reaktion Books
Description:
Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro (1753–1806) was one of the most influential artists working in the genre of ukiyo-e, 'pictures of the floating world,' in late eighteenth-century Japan, and was widely appreciated for his prints of beautiful women.
In 1804, at the height of his success, Utamaro published a set of prints related to a banned historical novel. The prints, titledHideyoshi and his Five Concubines, depicted the military ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife and concubines, and consequently, he was accused of insulting Hideyoshi's dignity. Utamaro was sentenced to be handcuffed for fifty days and is thought to have been briefly imprisoned. According to some sources, the experience crushed him emotionally and ended his career as an artist.
In this new expanded edition, Julie Nelson Davis draws on a wide range of period sources, makes a close study of selected print sets, and reinterprets Utamaro in the context of his times. Reconstructing the place of the ukiyo-e artist within the commercial print market, she demonstrates how Utamaro's images participated in a larger spectacle of beauty in the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo).