History of Art in Japan

Tsuji Nobuo's encyclopedic, authoritative, and insightful survey of the history of Japanese art-informed by over six decades of groundbreaking research-is presented in a lively and eminently readable translation by Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere, his trusted colleague and an expert on Japanese culture in her own right. -- John T. Carpenter, Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art The appearance of Professor Tsuji Nobuo's history of Japanese art in an English edition is a watershed moment both for the field and for the discipline of art history as a whole. The most important Japanese art historian of his generation, Tsuji weaves a narrative covering millennia of art in the archipelago by intertwining themes and concepts he has long championed, such as the roles of the decorative, playfulness, and eccentricity, all of which serve to liberate the arts of Japan from standard tropes of style, form, and iconography that have dominated western art historical discourse. Balanced, extensive attention devoted both to the prehistoric Jomon, Yayoi, and Kofun periods as well as to the modern era take his book far beyond the parameters of previous survey texts, and highlights the dynamism, imagination, and visual spectacle of Japanese art. In this beautifully illustrated volume Professor Tsuji brings home the point that from wooden Buddhist sculptures to Superflat, it is in the startling visual impact of Japanese art that its greatest pleasures can be discovered. -- Matthew McKelway, Columbia University Tsuji has earned recognition for combining authority and accuracy with interesting and imaginative insights. In every chapter, History of Art in Japan provides a thorough and engaging account of individual works in their social context while maintaining an international frame of reference. It is an immense gift to readers of all levels. -- Chelsea Foxwell, University of Chicago Readers will likely close this book satisfied and inspired to search out monographs on certain artists and periods. * Alexanderadamsart *