Unlike traditional ukiyo-e prints, the woodblock prints of the Emperor Meiji's reign--the famous ''Meiji period'' of 1867-1912--depicted current events rather than timeless scenes, and were printed in vivid colors that reflected the vibrancy of Japan's rush toward modernization at the turn of the century. Part commercial art, part ''photo-op'' before the fact, and part propaganda tool (lest we forget), the Meiji prints chronicle Japan's fascinating and ambivalent relations with the West, its emergence as an industrial and military power and its populist emperor. In keeping with the new spirit of the Meiji years, the woodblock prints often feature lurid colors that prefigure twentieth-century poster art and point the way toward contemporary Japanese manga and animation. Japan At The Dawn Of The Modern Age features over 80 Meiji-era prints in full, dynamic color, along with two previously unpublished essays by the renowned historian and biographer Donald Keene on the Emperor Meiji and his times. Additional writings by curators Anne Nishimura Morse and Louise Virgin and the collector and historian Frederic Sharf place these writings in the context of their historical period, the collection itself and their current home at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

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

Arts & Photography

Morse, Anne Nishimura

Sharf, Frederic

Virgin, Louise

Sharf, Frederic A.

KEENE, Donald

Graphic Design

MFA Publications

Unlike traditional ukiyo-e prints, the woodblock prints of the Emperor Meiji's reign--the famous ''Meiji period'' of 1867-1912--depicted current events rather than timeless scenes, and were printed in vivid colors that reflected the vibrancy of Japan's rush toward modernization at the turn of the century. Part commercial art, part ''photo-op'' before the fact, and part propaganda tool (lest we forget), the Meiji prints chronicle Japan's fascinating and ambivalent relations with the West, its emergence as an industrial and military power and its populist emperor. In keeping with the new spirit of the Meiji years, the woodblock prints often feature lurid colors that prefigure twentieth-century poster art and point the way toward contemporary Japanese manga and animation. Japan At The Dawn Of The Modern Age features over 80 Meiji-era prints in full, dynamic color, along with two previously unpublished essays by the renowned historian and biographer Donald Keene on the Emperor Meiji and his times. Additional writings by curators Anne Nishimura Morse and Louise Virgin and the collector and historian Frederic Sharf place these writings in the context of their historical period, the collection itself and their current home at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Japan at the Dawn of the Modern Age: Woodblock Prints from the Meiji Era, 1868-1912

History & Criticism

With the influx of Westerners to Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912) came the rise of the Japanese photo industry. Originally created as souvenirs for foreign travelers, these images soon came to act as a prepackaged guide: Before long, the tourist's first stop in Japan was the photographer's studio, where he ordered the handsomely-made photo album that would help set his itinerary. But more than this, these photographs reveal an astounding virtuosity, not only in composition but also in the technique of color retouching, which brought these views of daily life, splendid gardens, bustling cityscapes and theatrical performances to a new level of vividness. Blatantly artificial, these photographs also convey a true and resonant picture of Japanese society at the dawn of the modern age. Art and Artifice: Japanese Photographs of the Meiji Era provides a brief, elegant introduction to Meiji-era photographs and to the world in which it flourished. In three essays and dozens of images, it explores the social function of these photos and their remarkable artistry, the practicalities of transpacific travel at the turn of the century, and the personal stories of those who collected and preserved these images--leaving us with a privileged glimpse into this pivotal moment in Japanese cultural history and the history of photography.

Art and Artifice: Japanese Photographs Of The Meiji Era

Nishimura Morse, Anne

Dobson, Sebastian

Photography & Video

These drawings from a private collection showcase the beauty and ingenuity of automobile design, focusing especially on presentation drawings used to showcase concepts, present fun design ideals, or act as selling tools. From preliminary sketches to carefully drafted full-color illustrations, many of these drawings have never before been published. Future Retro looks at cars from a landmark period in automobile design in America: the 1940s to 1960s, providing a rare glimpse into the thinking of premiere Detroit auto makers. The text by Bill Porter, formerly chief designer for General Motors, details such matters as the role of the designer in auto styling, the demands and expectations of the major manufacturers, and the ways in which airplanes, rockets, and emerging technologies influenced postwar car design. Over 40 color plates showcase the drawings themselves, introducing us to cars that are highly retro, sometimes decidely wacky (a number of them were too outlandish to build), and always very, very cool. Future Retro offers an ideal lesson in car design and history lessons to practitioners and students of graphic and industrial design... as well as to anyone who has ever succumbed to the lure of the great American automobile.

Future Retro: Drawings from the Great Age of American Automobiles

At the dawn of the twentieth century, the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05) became a worldwide political focal point. The war, marked the rise of Japan as a world power, paved the way for the Russian Revolution, and made Theodore Roosevelt the first American ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. It engaged the fervent attention of Asia, Europe and the United States--so much so that the Milton Bradley Co. created a popular board game based on the war. But more than this, the Russo-Japanese conflict was the first war to be fully recorded by the international media. Journalists, photographers and filmmakers poured into the areas, capturing the battles in words and visuals, and creating in the process a flood of images remarkable for their vibrancy and power. A Much Recorded War examines the Russo-Japanese conflict from the viewpoint of its artistic legacy, exploring the ways in which it was represented, promoted and mythologized. Featuring more than 80 objects--from woodblock prints, lithographs, watercolors and photographs to film, postcards and even garments--the book discusses the origins and history of the war, the development of its imagery in Japanese art, and the groundbreaking role of photography and film. Published to mark the 100th anniversary of the Portsmouth Treaty, which ended the war, this is both a remarkable work of historical scholarship and a brilliant compendium of period graphic art.

Much Recorded War: The Russo-Japanese War In History And Imagery, A

At the dawn of the twentieth century, the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05) became a worldwide political focal point. The war, marked the rise of Japan as a world power, paved the way for the Russian Revolution, and made Theodore Roosevelt the first American ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. It engaged the fervent attention of Asia, Europe and the United States--so much so that the Milton Bradley Co. created a popular board game based on the war. But more than this, the Russo-Japanese conflict was the first war to be fully recorded by the international media. Journalists, photographers, and filmmakers poured into the areas, capturing the battles in words and visuals, and creating in the process a flood of images remarkable for their vibrancy and power. A Much Recorded War examines the Russo-Japanese conflict from the viewpoint of its artistic legacy, exploring the ways in which it was represented, promoted, and mythologized. Featuring more than 80 objects--from woodblock prints, lithographs, watercolors, and photographs to film, postcards, and even garments--the book discusses the origins and history of the war, the development of its imagery in Japanese art, and the groundbreaking role of photography and film. Published to mark the 100th anniversary of the Portsmouth Treaty, which ended the war, this is both a remarkable work of historical scholarship and a brilliant compendium of period graphic art.

As the twentieth century began, China was torn apart by a bloody uprising instigated by the infamous Boxers. As part of the reporting of the conflict, artists and illustrators across the globe produced a vast amount of images illustrating all aspects of the rebellion. This beautiful catalog, released to accompany a major exhibition, features some of the more remarkable images and gives the complete background to the artist, the subject matter, and the creative process.

The Boxer Rebellion: China 1900, the Artist's Perspective

Peter Harrington

Greenhill Books/Lionel Leventhal

Combining first-hand accounts with incisive historical commentary, China 1900 examines the entire course of the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 when China was torn apart during a bloody uprising instigated by the infamous Boxers.

China 1900 : The Eyewitnesses Speak : The Experience of Westerners in China

History

Asia

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Sharf, Frederic. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Sharf, Frederic

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Sharf, Frederic. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

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

Japan at the Dawn of the Modern Age: Woodblock Prints from the Meiji Era, 1868-1912

Art and Artifice: Japanese Photographs Of The Meiji Era

Future Retro: Drawings from the Great Age of American Automobiles

Much Recorded War: The Russo-Japanese War In History And Imagery, A

Much Recorded War: The Russo-Japanese War In History And Imagery, A

The Boxer Rebellion: China 1900, the Artist's Perspective

China 1900 : The Eyewitnesses Speak : The Experience of Westerners in China