An introduction to Japanese prints

Traces the history of the Japanese woodblock print, taking as its starting point the earliest illustrations to Buddhist texts, continuing with a detailed account of the popular prints of the Edo period (1615--1868) and concluding with the modern Creative Print movement. Both the subject matter and the technical and historical background are explained in full. All the important artists and styles are covered, from the black and white designs of Moronobu and the subsequent gradual introduction of colour, to the great prints of courtesans in the late 18th century and the landscapes of Hokusai and Hiroshige in the 19th. The book includes 30 colour plates.