Japan Journeys - by Andreas Marks (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Presenting classic Japanese woodblock prints, Japan Journeys offers a unique perspective on the country's most famous travel destinations.

This stunning art book gathers together approximately two hundred Japanese woodblock prints depicting scenic spots and cultural icons that still delight visitors today. Many of the prints are by masters such as Utagawa Hiroshige, Kitagawa Utamaro, and Utagawa Kunisada, and currently hang in prestigious galleries and museums worldwide. Katsuhika Hokusai, the artform's most celebrated artist, is also well represented, with many prints from his "Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road" series and "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" series, including his world-renowned "Great Wave" print.

In addition to prints showcasing Japan's natural beauty, this carefully curated selection depicts roads and railways; favorite pastimes, such as blossom viewing and attending festivals; beloved entertainment, such as kabuki theater; the fashions they wore, and the food they ate. Author Andreas Marks is a leading expert on Japanese woodblock prints, and his Illuminating captions provide background context to the scenes depicted.

Review Quotes

"...recommended for arts holdings and collections strong in Japanese culture alike." --Midwest Book Review

"A visually engaging trip through the Japanese landscape that will reward both print lovers and Japanophiles." --Library Journal

"Images of Japan are a continual source of fascination and delight for visitors and armchair travelers alike, and this original gift book also provided a valuable resource for art historians, scholars, and anyone interested in Japanese art, history, and traditional culture." --Cultural News

"In 19th-century Japan, the tradition of woodblock prints flourished and offered a vivid glimpse into the daily lives of its nation's people. Japan Journeys, a new book written by art historian Andreas Marks, brings together a gigantic selection of these beautiful and historic prints to show a stunning look into Japan's rich cultural heritage." --BuzzFeed

"Marks's (director & chief curator, Clark Ctr. for Japanese Art) clear, informative text, while valuable for scholars beginning research, also remains accessible to the average reader. With excellent production values and a modest price, this volume is recommended for all libraries, academic and public." --Library Journal

"The meticulous organization of information notwithstanding, it is the prints which are the chief pleasure of the book: 523 prints that bring to life a Japan of heroic tales, beautiful women, ghosts, warriors, demons, and spring cherry blossoms. The exuberance of color, motion, and expression, all carefully arranged, make this a book for scholars and browsers, serious collectors, and hedonists alike." --ForeWord Reviews

"The print quality of the book is excellent. Colors are vibrant, and the paper has a pleasant feel. I know. Talking about the feel of a book's paper in the digital age seems a little odd. I enjoy the feel of good paper between my fingers while I read. Some books have cheap-feeling paper that ruins the reading experience. It feels as if the book will come apart in your hands. This is particularly disappointing in art books. Luckily, Japan Journeys doesn't have this problem." --Japan Powered blog

"The text is sparse but provides some historical context while allowing the images to tell the story of Japan in its many moods and seasons." --Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Dr. Andreas Marks is the Head of the Japanese and Korean Art Department and Director of the Clark Center at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. From 2008 to 2013 he was the Director and Chief Curator of the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture in California. Before coming to the U.S., he was the Managing Director of an international exhibition and fair organizer based in Germany with branches in Calif., the U.K., Australia, and China. He has a master's degree in East Asian Art History from the University of Bonn, and a Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands.

At locations like the Berkeley Museum of Art, Detroit Institute of Arts, Honolulu Museum of Art, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, San Antonio Museum of Art, and San Diego Museum of Art, Dr. Marks has curated and co-curated 14 exhibitions on various aspects of Japanese art including paintings, prints, ceramics, weaponry, as well as works of bamboo.

Amongst others, he is the author of Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks, 1680-1900, Genji's World in Japanese Woodblock Prints, and Kunisada's Tokaido: Riddles in Japanese Woodblock Prints. His Publishers of Japanese Prints: A Compendium, is the first comprehensive reference work on print publishers from the 1650s to 1990s. In June 2014, he received the annual Award of the International Ukiyo-e Society in recognition of his research and publications. He is currently working on his new exhibition and catalog Seven Masters: 20th-century Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Wells Collection that will be shown at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in fall of 2015.