HIROSHIGE.
London / Tokyo: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner / Maruzen Co., 1940. First edition thus: expanded and corrected from the 1934 edition. Two softcover volumes in publisher's chemise. One of only 300 copies offered for sale (from a total edition of 2,200 copies). Issued to commemorate the 2,600th anniversary of the founding of the Japanese empire -- at a time when Japan was still embroiled in war with China and on the brink of entering World War II in alliance with Germany and Italy, and just a year away from bombing Pearl Harbor. “To-day under a tumult and battle-cry the whole world is upset and gloomy; then even for that reason only, I think, it is meaningful to us to reconsider what Hiroshige had done in art, and remind ourselves of a peaceful lovely life that awaits us” -- from the introduction. (One can only hope.) Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 - 1858) was a Japanese master artist best known for his beautiful landscapes. Volume one primarily consists of essays on Hiroshige’s life and work, and discussions of the 99 plates appearing in the second volume. Two 4to fukuro-toji soft covers (a traditional Japanese cord-sewn stab binding with pages printed on outsides only of folded sheets); volume one with folding color frontispiece, color portrait of Hiroshige by Toyokuni the Third, and black-and-white and grayscale illustrations in (and under) the text throughout; volume two with 99 wood block, color, collotype, and black-and-white engravings, some of which are folding; 156 plus pages in first volume, second volume unnumbered. Near fine with front blank misfolded at upper inside corner volume one and touch of minor foxing to cover edges of both volumes. Housed in gilt-stamped, bone-clasped, blue silk-covered chemise (very good with some spotting, few tiny edge splits, and touch up to small scrap in gilt stamping on front cover).
Item #72741
Price: $400.00