Hiroshige Fan Prints (Far Eastern Series)

No Japanese artist is more famous or more beloved than the 19th-century master of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858). Yet one important dimension of his work has never received the attention it merits-the fan print. This exquisitely illustrated volume celebrates the outstanding collection of Hiroshige fan prints at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the largest known holding of its kind in the world.

Published here in its entirety for the first time, the Hiroshige collection at the V&A consists of 126 vivid and varied fan prints, all of which are remarkable for their vibrant colors and striking design. Depicting courtesans in gorgeous costumes, domestic architecture, and rural scenes with flowers and birds, the prints offer compelling insights into Japanese life. Hiroshige's rich, poetic works are as captivating today as when they were first created; they will delight collectors, students of Japanese culture, and all lovers of Japanese art.