An Illustrated History of Japan

Accompanied by woodblock illustrations, this book, in four volumes, covers the history of the “creation” of the country of Japan, from the mythology of the age of the gods to the Kamakura period (1192-1333), during which the basis of feudalism in Japan was firmly established. Other important events and characters are also included, from the first emperor Jinmu, to Yamato Takeru (Prince Osu), to the Mongol invasions of Japan (1274 and 1281).

This book is part of the publishing boom that occurred during Japan’s Edo period (1615–1868), when book publishing emerged as a commercial enterprise in Kyoto–it would eventually expand into Osaka, Edo, and Nagoya. This remarkable expansion in the publication and dissemination of printed books coincided with a cultural renaissance in scholarship, literature, arts, crafts, and architecture. The introduction of images into printed books increased their interest and appeal for readers of varying literacy skills. Illustrated books with little or no text offered a visual experience that had no counterpart in the traditional arts. For these works, publishers sought out accomplished and often renowned artists such as Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798-1861). Kuniyoshi was a Japanese painter and master printmaker of the ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”) movement. He established his fame as the designer of musha-e (“warrior prints”). He also produced landscapes, frequently using Western perspective. Kuniyoshi was one of many artists of ukiyo-e woodblock prints who also illustrated books. Commercial book illustration gave artists an effective means for making livelihoods and enhancing their reputations. By the early nineteenth century, tens of thousands of copies of popular titles were published and circulated among a diverse readership that spanned all social classes.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Lionel Katzoff, Baltimore, MD [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 2023, by
bequest.