Butterflies - Utamaro

#Utamaro #ukiyo-e #butterflies #book

While Utamaro is well known for his bijinga he also created illustrations for books.

Whoever carved the plate for the print seems to have split Utamaros drawing in half but fortunately the actual print producers who inked and colored and made the print for the pages did a good job with the final trim and his insects and flowers are as elegant as his other beauties.

Birds, beasts, Blossoms, and Bugs.

I've owned this book for a about 20 years or longer?

I think I bought it as a xmas or birthday treat for myself.

Its an excellent work on Japanese Art showing the use of Animal Themes in several media, ceramics decoration, lacquer, and several styles of painting. 

I can highly recommend it as one worthwhile hunting down a second hand copy of on amazon or elsewhere.

The author is Harold P. Stern and it was published by Abrams in 1976.