Thomas J. Watson Library
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Hokusai and the Art of the Woodcut in
Japan
Suggested Resources
Compiled by Eliana Fenyes, December 2015
Resources
from the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
Art of the Edo Period (1615-1868): Information about the Japanese Edo Period, during
which Hokusai worked. This page contains images of art works created during the
Edo Period. Edo was the former name of the city now known as Tokyo.
Woodblock Prints in the Ukiyo-e
style: Information about woodblock
printing in Japan, including technology and popular subjects of printed works. Ukiyo-e
means “floating pictures” in Japanese, and prints in the ukiyo-e style
portrayed scenes from everyday life. This web page contains images of Japanese
woodblock prints.
Woodcut Print from East
Asia: Examples
of 18th and 19th century Japanese woodblock prints in the
Met collection, including Hokusai’s “The Great Wave at Kanagawa.” Most of these
images are from the Edo Period.
Link: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/hi_prwoea.htm
Link: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/hi_prwoea.htm
Books available in the
Thomas J. Watson Library
Hokusai. Sarah E. Thompson, with an essay from Joan Wright
and Philip Meredith (2015)
Call number: NE1325.K3 T46
2015
This volume is the
exhibition book from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Hokusai exhibition in
2015. The book explores Hokusai’s use of style as he drew his many subjects,
including landscapes and people.
Hokusai’s Great Wave: biography of a global
icon. Christine
M.E. Guth
(2015)
Call number: NE1325.K3 A65
2015
Guth’s book is a biography
of one of Hokusai’s most famous prints, “Under
the Wave off Kanagawa,” or
“The Great Wave.” The book investigates the
history of the print, the
audiences and reception of the print, and the
migration of the image
from print to international icon.
Japan journeys: famous woodblock
prints of cultural sights in Japan. Andreas Marks (2015)
Call number: Electronic
book available through the library.
Many of Hokusai’s prints
featured landscapes of Japan. This book explores the world of Japanese
woodblock prints featuring cities and landscapes, offering images and historical
context about the places featured in the prints.
Japanese woodblock prints: artists, publishers, and
masterworks, 1680-1900. Andreas Marks (2010)
Call
number: NE1321.8
.M355 2010
Marks
offers a survey of Japanese woodblock prints, providing information about
artists as well as the publishers who disseminated these prints. The time span
covered by this book includes the years during which Hokusai worked.
Japanese
prints: ukiyo-e in Edo, 1700-1900. Ellis Tinios (2010).
Call
number: NE1321.8 .T56 2010
This book provides an
introduction to Japanese prints in the ukiyo-e genre, including information
about the production and reception of these prints. The book includes many
images.
Online videos
Hokusai: Hear from the Curator: This video features Sarah Thompson, curator of the
spring 2015 Hokusai exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Thompson
speaks briefly about Hokusai’s work and describes some of the prints in the MFA
exhibition. This video is around 3 minutes long.
Hokusai: The End of an Era: Thompson gives a longer lecture on Hokusai, providing
information about Japan during Hokusai’s lifetime, Japanese printing
techniques, different genres of Japanese prints, and providing examples of prints by Hokusai
and other artists. This video is 1 hour and 22 minutes.
Useful databases
JAANUS (Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users
System): An online dictionary of
terminology related to Japanese art and architecture. While some parts of the
website appear in Japanese, many entries are available in English.
Oxford Art Online: Use this database to learn biographical
information about artists, to view images of specific prints, to learn about
the subjects found in prints, and to learn more about Japanese printing.
Link: Access this database
through the library, http://libmma.org/portal/oxford-art-online-grove-art-online/
Art Source: Use this database to find full-text articles on Hokusai, Japanese
woodblock printing, and other Japanese printmakers. This database also has
images. Access this database through the library, http://libmma.org/portal/art-source-1929-present/
Important links
Thomas J. Watson Library Portal: http://libmma.org/portal/
Register here to use the library: https://library.metmuseum.org/selfreg~S1
Ask-a-Librarian: http://libmma.org/portal/contact-us/
Research classes for museum volunteers: http://libmma.org/portal/volunteers
Online tutorials for using the library: http://libmma.org/portal/instructional-videos
Metropolitan Museum of Art Website: http://www.metmuseum.org/
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