Hokusai : prints and drawings /

A catalog, in the standard format of introductory essay, individual entries and color plates, of a 1991-92 exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, of 133 prints and drawings by Katsushika Hokusai reveals the extraordinary production of this celebrated designer. The examples exhibited were selected from private and public collections in Europe and America and demonstrate the extent of Western interest in Hokusai's work over the past century. The catalog, which is organized in clusters determined by topic, format or medium, and within each cluster by chronological sequence, covers the wide range of subject matter, from theater to the natural world, that preoccupied the artist in initial exploration and repeated reconsideration throughout his long, active career. All the diverse formats used by the artist are represented: prints, prints-in-series, albums, book illustrations, drawings, and surimono. For Hokusai the painter, the reader must refer to Forrer's Hokusai (CH, Jun'89) or other sources. The catalog entries are informative and the essay, which offers standard and familiar information, is adversely affected by Forrer's unwillingness to assess the impact of censorship on the choice of topic and on other factors in the design and production of popular art. The volume includes a map, glossary of terms, bibliography and a chronological chart. For college art libraries.-D. K. Dohanian, University of Rochester

Supremely prolific and marvelously inventive, Hokusai, one of Japan's most famous artists, has left a body of work comprising almost 30,000 items. This volume, designed as a catalog to accompany an exhibition in London, gives us an overview of 13 drawings and 151 woodblock prints representing landscapes, amorous couplings, kabuki actors, and scenes of daily life in 18th-century Japan. Although the biographical introduction is short, each artwork has an ample explication to place it in the context of Japanese society and Hokusai's oeuvre. The superb quality of the color reproduction on acid-free paper makes this an excellent complement to Richard Lane's more comprehensive Hokusai: Life and Works (Dutton, 1989). Recommended for all libraries.-- David McClelland, Temple Univ. Lib., Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.