Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Review| Japanese Art in Detail, by John Reeve

Japanese Art in Detail, by John Reeve, is a small but beautiful collection of Japanese artwork spanning the centuries. It covers everything from woodblock prints to ceramics, sculpture to theatrical Nō masks.

It starts with the question “There are many books on Japanese art, so why another one?” and goes on to explain that this book is an introduction of sorts, and no prior knowledge of Japanese art is necessary. I agree wholeheartedly with this answer. Anyone going in without previously studying Japanese art will have no trouble understanding and appreciating it. The book is divided into themes and in the beginning of each, we are given an explanation of the theme and how it relates to Japanese art. The reader is then given brief histories and descriptions all throughout the book. These passages, though short, are very informative and help in the comprehension of the work being shown.

As for the actual art...the selection is wonderful! The book is in full color and the images are very sharp and lively. The title of the book is very apt—the level of detail shown is just astounding. We get to see each work both in its entirety and as a close-up of a section. These close-ups truly add to the appreciation of each piece, as we can see the amount of work and expertise that went into it.

This book is great for anyone interested in Japanese art and culture, or just art in general. The collection is beautiful, informative, and covers a wide range of themes and periods. I definitely recommend it!

See this review on: Amazon | Goodreads | Librarything | Shelfari

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