Presented in a style as stunning as the prints it celebrates, this survey of Hiroshige tells the fascinating story of the last great practitioner of ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating world." Hiroshige is considered to be the tradition's most poetic artist and his work had a marked influence on Western painting towards the end of the 19th century. Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Paul Ce zanne, and James Whistler were inspired by Hiroshige's serene depictions of the natural world. Arranged chronologically, this book illustrates through text and magnificent reproductions Hiroshige's youth and early career; his artistic development in the genre of landscape prints; his depictions of Edo and the provinces; the flower and bird prints; and his many popular books and paintings. It discusses the historic and cultural environment in which Hiroshige flourished and the many reasons his art continues to be revered and imitated. Filled with 300 color reproductions, and featuring a clamshell box and Japanese-style binding, this volume is destined to become the definitive examination of Hiroshige's oeuvre.

About the Author
MATTHI FORRER is an independent curator and former Curator for Japanese Arts at the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, Netherlands. He is the author of numerous books on Hokusai and Japanese art, including Hokusai and Hiroshige: Prints and Drawings (both by Prestel).

Reviews
"This lavish chronically organized survey of his life and work is a jewel for art lovers, featuring Japanese-style binding and clamshell box. The 300 depictions of Hiroshige's beloved prints, books and paintings, along with an examination of the historic and cultural environments in which he created them, crowns the oeuvre of a true artistic titan." -Bask



Book Information
ISBN 9783791382654
Author Matthi Forrer
Format Hardback
Page Count 288
Imprint Prestel
Publisher Prestel
Weight(grams) 3663g
Dimensions(mm) 438mm * 324mm * 43mm