Japan At The Dawn Of The Modern Age: Woodblock Prints From the Meiji Era

Rating:
Summary: Pictures of Change
Review: For many years prints from the Meiji period have gotten a bad rap. Collectors have prefered the earlier Edo works that are justly celebrated. The artistic crimes alleged against the Meiji period artisans include harsher colors and dyes as opposed to the more restrained palate of earlier Ukiyo-e period. Travelers to Japan in the 19th century were offended by the supposed garishness of these modern works.

Luckily, the prints of this period were saved for future generations by collectors of vision who saw the artisitic merit in these examples of the Meiji period. The works detailed in this book are among the finest examples of the genre. They show a nation in transition. The forms are very similar to the earlier types of woodblocks, but the subject matter is not. These works celebrate the transition of Japan to a modern nation state. The emperor is shown indulging in a number of modern pursuits (going to the races or the circus). But the general patriotic tone of these prints is not limited to the emperor. Both the Sino-Japanese and Russo Japanese wars provide a rich source of illustration. Personally, I find these works more fascinating as they show how the Meiji period artists incorporate old forms in new genres.

This book celebrates woodblocks in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) in Boston and features a great deal of commentary. The essays by Donald Keene are up to his usual high standard of scholarly excellence and serve to put the period into context. However the most interesting is by Frederic Sharf which describes the deliciousness of building a world class collection of Meiji era prints. It is not just the joy of collecting he describes, but pleasure to be gained from learning the history of a cherished object. Sharf generously donated his collection to the MFA, making this unequalled collection available to the wider public.

This book is essential to anyone seeking to collect these marvelous woodblocks (many of the ones pictured in the book can still be acquired and remain within the reach of the ordinary collector).

Rating:
Summary: Recommended for any collection concentrating on Japanese art
Review: Japan At The Dawn Of The Modern Age is a specialty item which is recommended for any collection concentrating on Japanese art. Woodblock prints from the Meiji era are presented in a series of over 90 color illustrations which go beyond the traditional perception of Japanese subjects as gardens and geishas. These prints depicted current events and were painted in vivid colors, and Japan At The Dawn Of The Modern Age captures their vibrant spirit, along with history essential to understanding their meaning.