BOOK:Japanese Woodblock Prints (1680–1938), Taschen Publications

The book “Japanese Woodblock Prints (1680–1938)” by Taschen Publications lifts the veil on a much-loved but little-understood art form by presenting the 200 most exceptional Japanese woodblock prints in their historical context. Ranging from the 17^th Century development of decadent ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world,” to the decline and later resurgence of prints in the early 20^th Century, the images collected in this edition make up an unmatched record not only of a unique genre in art history, but also of the shifting mores and cultural development of Japan. 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. We discover the four pillars of the woodblock print (beauties, actors, landscapes, and bird-and-flower compositions) alongside depictions of sumo wrestlers, kabuki actors, or enticing rock stars who populated the “floating world” and whose fan bases fueled the frenzied production of woodblock prints.-Dimitris Lempesis