
Presented in a style as stunning as the prints it celebrates this survey of Hiroshige tells the fascinating story of the last great practitioner of ukiyo-e or "pictures of the floating world" Hiroshige is considered to be the tradition&s most poetic artist & his work had a marked influence on Western painting towards the end of the 19th century Vincent van Gogh Claude Monet Paul Ce zanne & James Whistler were inspired by Hiroshige&s serene depictions of the natural world Arranged chronologically this book illustrates through text & magnificent reproductions Hiroshige&s youth & early career; his artistic development in the genre of landscape prints; his depictions of Edo & the provinces; the flower & bird prints; & his many popular books & paintings It discusses the historic & cultural environment in which Hiroshige flourished & the many reasons his art continues to be revered & imitated Filled with 300 color reproductions & featuring a clamshell box & Japanese-style binding this volume is destined to become the definitive examination of Hiroshige&s oeuvre