Japanese Prints and the World of Go

Författare: William Pinckard and Akiko Kitagawa

The 75 prints featured in this book were carefully selected and are shown in full-color. Each print is accompanied by an extensive and exhaustively researched commentary to provide the reader with a deep understanding and appreciation of the print's content and the artist's intention.

This book will enlarge the understanding of go players who may be unaware of the long historical and legendary background of go by presenting works that reveal some of the traditions and associations connected with the game in Japan's cultural life.

Bi-lingual: English and Japanese side by side

Organization of the Book

Part 1: Go Themes in Woodblock Prints
A collection of essay's tracing go's cultural heritage from ancient China through to the Edo period (1600-1868) in Japan. This part consists of the following ten chapters.
Chapter 1: The Immortals
Chapter 2: The Four Accomplishments
Chapter 3: General Guan Yu
Chapter 4: Grand Minister Kibi at the Tang Court
Chapter 5: Prince Genji
Chapter 6: Raiko and the Ground Spider
Chapter 7: Go-Board Tadanobu
Chapter 8: The Temple of the Golden Pavilion
Chapter 9: The Gallant Jiraiya
Chapter 10: Scenes of Daily Life

Part 2: Color Plates
This 80-page section presents 75 prints in full color, depicting scenes from the stories in Part 1. Among the great ukiyo-e artists whose works are shown are: Toyokuni I, Toyokuni III (Kunisada), Kuniyoshi, Kunichika, Utamaro, Harunobu, Kyosai, Yoshitoshi, Sharaku, and Hokusai. The works of these artists represent the various periods and genres in the history of ukiyo-e.

Part 3: Commentaries on the Prints
Each of the prints presented in Part 2 is explained in detail. Interesting features of the prints are pointed out and the poems and inscription are translated into English.

Soft cover. 204 pages. 29,6 cm x 21 cm.