Today we think of ukiyo-e—“the pictures of the floating world”—as masterpieces of Japanese art, highly prized throughout the world. Yet it is often said that ukiyo-e were little appreciated in their own time and were even used as packing material for ceramics. In Picturing the Floating World, Julie Nelson Davis debunks this myth and demonstrates that ukiyo-e was thoroughly appreciated as a field of artistic production, worthy of connoisseurship and canonization by its contemporaries. Putting these images back into their dynamic context, she shows how consumers, critics, and makers produced and sold, appraised and collected, and described and recorded ukiyo-e. She recovers this multilayered world of pictures in which some were made for a commercial market, backed by savvy entrepreneurs looking for new ways to make a profit, while others were produced for private coteries and high-ranking connoisseurs seeking to enrich their cultural capital. The book opens with an analysis of period documents to establish the terms of appraisal brought to ukiyo-e in late eighteenth-century Japan, mapping the evolution of the genre from a century earlier and the development of its typologies and the creation of a canon of makers—both of which have defined the field ever since. Organized around divisions of major technological and aesthetic developments, the book reveals how artistic practice and commercial enterprise were intertwined throughout ukiyo-e’s history, from its earliest imagery through the twentieth century. The depiction of particular subjects in and for the floating world of urban Edo and the process of negotiating this within the larger field of publishing are examined to further ground ukiyo-e as material culture, as commodities in a mercantile economy. Picturing the Floating World offers a new approach: a critical yet accessible analysis of the genre as it was developed in its social, cultural, and political milieu. The book introduces students, collectors, and enthusiasts to ukiyo-e as a genre under construction in its own time while contributing to our understanding of early modern visual production.

Wrapping Culture examines problems of intercultural communication and the possibilities for misinterpretation of the familiar in an unfamiliar context. Starting with an examination of Japanese gift-wrapping, Joy Hendry demonstrates how our expectations are often influenced by cultural factors which may blind us to an appreciation of underlying intent. She extends this approach to the study of polite language as the wrapping of thoughts and intentions, garments as body wrappings, constructions and gardens as wrapping of space. Hendry shows how this extends even to the ways in which people may be wrapped in seating arrangements, or meetings and drinking customs may be constrained by temporal versions of wrapping. Throughout the book, Hendry considers ways in which groups of people use such symbolic forms to impress and manipulate one another, and points out a Western tendency to underestimate such nonverbal communication, or reject it as mere decoration. She presents ideas that should be valid in any intercultural encounter and demonstrates that Japanese culture, so often thought of as a special case, can supply a model through which we can formulate general theories about human behavior.

These fine-quality tear-out sheets feature 12 prints inspired by Japanese Washi paper designs--a type of traditional handmade paper. In Japanese, wa means 'Japanese' and shi means 'paper.' Having been made for 1400 years, the craft of making washi paper is a registered UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. These papers are suitable for craft projects as well as for gift wrapping. The variety of designs means they are useful for any occasion--whether a holiday, birthday, anniversary or "just because." An introduction details the history and meaning behind the designs, giving you a better idea of their origin. Some wrapping ideas are also provided for inspiration to maximize your creativity. This book includes: 12 sheets of 18 x 24 inch (45 x 61 cm) tear-out paper 12 unique patterns Perforations so the papers are easy to tear out Wrapping tips & tricks The tradition of gift wrapping originated in Asia, with the first documented use in China in the 2nd century BC. Japanese furoshiki, reusable wrapping cloth, is still in use four centuries after it was first created. Gift wrapping is one custom that has prevailed through the ages and across the world--it should be special for both the gift giver and recipient.

Of all the sophisticated traditional arts and crafts of Japan, woodblock prints are probably the most widely known in the West. The bold yet refined compositions are as fresh to the Western eye today as they were when they first came to the attention of the Impressionists in the nineteenth century. With their fluid lines, intricate carving and delicate colors, Japanese prints are still as fascinating as ever. In this book, Rebecca Salter takes us through the history of the Japanese woodblock, discusses the materials, tools, and papers available (and their Western equivalents) and shows how to get the most out of them through interesting step-by-step projects. The work of an international group of artists shows the varied and exciting prints being produced today.

These fine-quality tear-out wrapping sheets feature twelve traditional Asian prints, suitable for craft projects as well as for gift wrapping. An introduction details the history and meaning behind the designs Tuttle Gift Wrapping Papers are an excellent value—a fraction of the price of a single sheet of gift wrap paper from stationery shops Each sheet is removable by tearing along a perforated line There are twelve sheets with six different patterns in each book

Numata Kashû's wonderfully lifelike images of birds and flowers first appeared in a three-volume, 1883 portfolio. His woodblock prints were so popular that dealers sold them individually, destroying most complete sets. A collector's delight, this exquisite edition reprints a 1930s facsimile, alive with 150 color illustrations of the highest quality.

江戸の絵草紙屋にタイムスリップ。眺めて飾って細部を味わう60枚 絵草紙屋の店先で気に入った絵を選ぶように、1枚の絵をB5判の1ページ大で楽しむ趣向の「めでる国芳ブック」シリーズ。 第1弾の猫は、味わい深い美人画の猫、代表作の猫の当字、役者の似顔絵ほか、猫を描いためずらしい絵も収録。 「猫は、いわば人の掌の上で生きている小さな動物。人は、その掌の上の動物と、対等にやり合ったり、ときには下に敷かれたりしながら、この仲間との関係に喜びを感じるのである。猫のプライドの高さを味わい、時折みせるへまを、彼らのプライドを傷つけないよう口を塞ぎながら笑う。そして、そんな人と猫の独特の関係を絵の中でも堪能することこそ、国芳の描いた猫の味わい方だし、それこそが、国芳という画家と猫との関係を読み取ることでもあるだろう」。(本文より)