Hokusai: Prints and Drawings

Some previous reviews are strange. "Catfish" apparently reviews the wrong book (this is not a small volume of mostly black and white prints); others complain about the text being preoccupied with description of print variations. In fact the prints are beautiful on lovely paper, and the variations should be of interest for anyone finding other Hokusai prints outside this book (many run so often as to wear out the blocks).My only quibble is that the eminent Mr Forrer's English is choppy and a small but pervasive distraction. For instance he has "oxidated" for oxidized, "deficiency" for defect; and a sentence "No less than three or four different states have been identified for some of these designs, which testifies to their great popularity at the time" (meaning, three or four variations are known of some of these, attesting to their popularity) is typical. I note Forrer's Prestel/Royal Academy book on Hiroshige does not have these flaws.After browsing this volume for several weeks with morning coffee I just came across four erotic prints in the rear. Flowing figures completely different from the usual Hokusai small people battling across landscape. No discussion of print variants here; they were more limited editions. A delight that illuminates a return to "The Great Wave", contrasting formalisms.

This book gets 3 stars for the beautiful reproductions of Hokusai's work. There are approximately 130 plates, most of them in gorgeous color. But I found the text by Mr. Forrer to be very disappointing. There is an opening chapter of around 30 pages which is meant to give you some information about Hokusai and Japanese art in general. It is very straighforward and written in a dry manner. I was hoping for more of a biographical sketch of Hokusai but did not get it. Mr. Forrer writes that "apparently Hokusai lived for his art". Is that supposed to mean that he didn't have a life? I doubt that is the case but unfortunately it is how Mr. Forrer excuses the fact that he doesn't really tell us anything about the man who is generally thought to be the greatest artist Japan has ever produced. The descriptions that accompany the plates are equally disappointing. Hokusai worked mainly in woodblocks and Mr. Forrer spends a lot of time telling us about what variations (reproductions of which are not included) of these woodblocks looked like. He does this on page after page and I found it annoying. Mr. Forrer hammers home the same points on page after page rather than trying to make each plate interesting and distinctive. He keeps pointing out Hokusai's use of linear perspective and of his western style of painting skies (showing individual clouds rather than the traditional Japanese method of just painting a flat wash with some haze for the entire sky). This is interesting the first couple of times you read it but gets tedious after awhile. There is much more that could have been said about these works.If you just want to look at some pretty pictures you will enjoy this book. If you want a more complete picture you will need to look elsewhere.

This book is much smaller than I have seen it in other paperback versions. I would have preferred a normal paperback art book size to better view the images.

Beautiful in every way. Though can care less for the content, but some is there if wanted.

Book was bought used but was in excellent shape. Prints of woodcuts and drawings quite good.

The art of landscape painting reaches a pinnacle with Houkusai.

My artist son loves this book.

beautiful

Beautiful book, lots of coloured prints and sketches with explanations for each one. Tells Hokusai’s history - this is a book you could read over and over again.

What a beautiful book! Fascinating, excellent descriptions of each illustration, which are very well reproduced. If you are at all interested in oriental art, (in this case Japanese) you really must buy this book.

lovely...hours of pleasure...fantastic present, too...great...

Lovely book in good condition. Sentimental value to me as I went to the original 1992 exhibition with a good friend.

A beautiful book and good value. Bought for son who declared Hokusai to be his favourite artist after learning about him any school