Featuring the works Japan's most celebrated neko-e artists, this gorgeous boxed set contains a volume of more than seventy exquisite accordion-fold prints and an accompanying booklet with explanatory texts.

For centuries, cats have played an essential role in Japanese culture and folklore. Long before Hello Kitty, they were fetishized and revered by every strata of Japanese society, especially by artists. This volume collects dozens of prints by the greatest masters of Japanese printmaking including Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, Utamaro, and Kunichika. It beautifully reflects the complex nature of the country's attachment to felines. Cats are depicted as playful and cuddly, menacing and predatory; they are imbued with erotic meaning; and regarded as symbols of wealth and taste. They can be seen as having human qualities, yet also take on monstrous forms. Each of these prints captures its subject's personality with meticulous detail, vibrant colors, and intricate patterns.
Included in this package is a booklet featuring an introduction to and brief texts about each of the works-making this the perfect gift for cat fanciers, Japanese culture enthusiasts and lovers of woodblock prints.

About the Author
JOCELYN BOUQUILLARD is a curator at the Bibliothe que Nationale de France and an expert in Japanese prints.


Book Information
ISBN 9783791377209
Author Jocelyn Bouqillard
Format Hardback
Page Count 226
Imprint Prestel
Publisher Prestel
Weight(grams) 573g
Dimensions(mm) 178mm * 122mm * 48mm