Here's some Russian music for you:
Alexander Borodin - Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances, Tańce Połowieckie
Beauty Given by Grace: The Biblical Prints of Sadao Watanabe by Sandra BowdenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sadao Watanabe is a recent discovery for me and a wonderful one. Most books of his work are quite expensive so I was glad to get one a little more reasonably priced.
Sadao Watanabe was born in Tokyo in 1913 and was a Japanese printmaker. As a young man, he became a Christian.
His art is in the Japanese mingei (folk art) tradition. His subject matter is the Gospel, although influenced by Buddhist figure prints and he placed his Biblical subjects in a Japanese context. His last supper has Jesus Christ and the disciples wearing kimonos and the food on the table is rice and sushi.
I found these prints poignant and beautiful. They fascinate me because it presents the Gospel in a non-western tradition. It allows the viewer to see the Bible stories in a way not normally expressed.
View all my reviews
A Japanese Legacy: Four Generations of Yoshida Family Artists by Laura W. AllenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is simply gorgeous with full page color photographs of the work of the Yoshida family going back to the turn of the last century. The book also includes photos and biographies, which include both the men and women of the Yoshida family and also a description of their techniques.
Each artist, while belonging to the same family are unique in style and subject matter. Anyone who enjoys Japanese art will enjoy this book.
View all my reviews
Hiroshige: One Hundred Famous Views of Edo by Melanie Trede
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the most stunningly beautiful book I own. The pages are glossy with color photos of Hiroshige's artwork based on views of the town of Edo.
Utagawa Hiroshige was a Japanese artist from the first half of the 19th century in the genre of "ukiyo-e", which literally means, "floating world".
Hiroshige painted everyday life, the good, the bad, the ugly in the village of Edo in rich watercolors of blues, pinks, greys, and greens. Each painting is a feast for the eyes.
The commentaries of each print is in English, French and German and describe what is happening and what to look for. I found this very helpful because there were details I did not notice until I read the commentary which brought it to my attention. Also, it explained the action in the print which I would not have understood.
There is action and drama that transpires in every print, yet the colors and form exert only calm. It is a paradox but makes Hiroshige's paintings so successful.
View all my reviews
10 comments:
As you describe it the artwork sounds great. It sounds aesthetically pleasing as well as interesting. I know so little about Japanese art and literature. Your posts are reminding me that I should take a dive.
How beautiful the books are! I think the book 'Beauty Given By Grace' would be very interesting and thought provoking for someone like me from another culture. lovely post.
fascinating information... i've been entranced by Hiroshige's work: his pictures of Fuji, and his boat pictures. it's a lot of fun, as i remember, investigating oriental thought through its artwork... tx for sharing...
Hi Brian. You probably have the same problem I do. So many books, so little time. I hope one day, you'll be able to read some Japanese literature and art books. Have a good week.
Hi Anchors. I have become really interested in mainstream artists who became Christians, or at least were interested in religious elements, like Marc Chagall, who was Jewish, but illustrated many stories of the Bible.
Other artists I like are Roualt and Emil Nolde. They were modern expressionists who painted Christian themes.
Hi Mudpuddle. Hiroshige and other Japanese artists are a recent interest and I am really enjoying their art work. I hope that I will be able to find more such treasures.
Sharon all of these books sound like works I would love to have on my bookshelf. I especially think the "Beauty Given By Grace" would be lovely to see. Japanese as well as Chinese Artists have such a beautiful artistic view. Thank you for the reviews...I will be putting these on my list for the bookshelf :)! Like I need more but like you books are my weakness. Have a delightful day. P.S. Thanks for visiting my blog - it is always wonderful when you stop by. Hugs!
Hi Debbie. I think you would enjoy all of these books because they are so beautiful and judging from your blog you have a keen eye for beauty. Have a wonderful weekend.
re acquiring a copy of the Kingsley book (i couldn't return comment on my blog because google won't put it in the right place, grrr...) FREE is a very good price... hope you enjoy it! Watch out for the grisly parts...
Thanks, Mudpuddle. I had to submit my comment a few times on your site as well. Must be a glitch somewhere.
Thanks for the heads up. I will be sure to skip the grizzly. Don't need that sort of thing stuck in my imagination.
Post a Comment