[Rarebooks] FS: The Life and Works of a Ukiyo-e Master

[palmer at palmerbooks.com]

Hirano, Chie KIYONAGA: A Study of His Life and Works.

Boston/Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1939.
Published for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A comprehensive study of
Japanese Ukiyo-e printmaker Torii Kiyonaga (1752-1815). Text Only.
Originally issued with a portfolio of color plates, this item is seldom
found intact; however, the text alone contains a wealth of information on
the life and artistic style of the artist. 

Kiyonaga (born Sekiguchi Shinsuke) was one of the most important Japanese
artists of the Ukiyo-e movement (paintings and wood-block prints of the
"floating world") and a strong influence on the later bijin-ga (beautiful
woman) styles. Although unrelated to the Torii family, he was the reluctant
heir-apparent to Torii III. This situation, as well as daily life in the
period in which he lived, is given thorough attention by the author at an
enjoyable pace. 

Perhaps the most valuable feature of this work is the detailed treatment
given each of his works in the Descriptive Catalogue section, which
comprises over 300 pages of the Appendix, along with a fold-out chronology
of his life and works by Era, a glossary for the Japanese terms used
throughout, and an index of alias signatures used by Kiyonaga. 

Light olive cloth; a few tiny tears to edge of cloth at head of spine, one
deeper tear at upper joint and head (about 1.75cm) of spine. There is a
slightly dark perfectly circular discoloration over the title and name on
the spine, as if something had either shielded it from sun, or allowed it
only in that area. The pastedown's/fep's show slight toning on the edges;
judging by the shape of the shadow a dust wrapper looks to have been present
at some point in time.     $350.00 
 

Michelle Palmer, Bookseller
11502 Powder Mill Trl.
Austin, Tx 78750
(512) 215-0118


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