Author Description

The revival of the woodblock printing tradition stands out as one of the most remarkable aspects of the complex history of Japanese art in the 20th century. This catalogue illustrates 140 of the modern Japanese prints in the British Museum's collection, probably the most comprehensive outside Japan itself. All schools and styles are covered, and every important artist working in the woodblock medium represented. Technique and imagination in the use of polychrome woodblock link these artists to their predecessors of the famous Ukiyo-e school in the 18th and 19th centuries and, like the closely related stencil-print artists also included in this book, most of them are great and individual colorists. The introduction by Lawrence Smith gives a concise history of the medium since 1912, charting the two 'golden ages' (1915-40 and 1950-75) and the assimilation of new international techniques and styles. The book also contains biographies of all the 78 artists illustrated, a comprehensive bibliography and a glossary of Japanese terms.