This attractive, large-format coffee-table book offers a most accessible introduction to the work of Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), master Japanese print maker and artistic force during the Edo period, an exciting era in Japanese art. Bird and flower painting kacho-e is a sub-genre of the ukiyo-e style. Though naturalistic, ukiyo-e "aims to capture the spirit or essence of the object depicted, not strictly its material form." The 91 spectacular color plates, reproduced from the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Collection at the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, highlight Hiroshige's refined color sense, economy of composition and delicate, never-sentimental renderings. Haiku or kyoka translations accompany most plates, and an informative introduction by Bogel (former curator of Asian art, RISD) gives a short history of the Edo period, describing its roots and symbolism, and placing Hiroshige and his influence in historical context.

Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.