Book Description

The Landscape Painting of China and Japan presents for the first time in English a full and lucid account of the remarkable art form which, as a distinct tradition in Oriental art, has come to be universally recognized as one of the greatest in the world. The author points out how essential it is to an understanding of the Orient when he says: "In China alone, landscape painting has religious as well as philosophical significance…and in consequence is one of the great manifestations of the human spirit, as well as the most remarkable creation of the Chinese artistic genius." And it was this same artistic tradition which, brought to Japan, was transmuted by the intense Japanese love of nature into paintings that "for sheer beauty of color and design have few equals," leading at last to the simplicity and grandeur of the uniquely Japanese woodblock print. Writing for scholar and layman alike, the author carefully traces the evolution of the art throughout its long history, discusses the major artistic personalities against their cultural backgrounds, and systematically describes the development and forms of the landscape. The text is thoroughly illustrated with over a hundred carefully selected plates and a colored frontispiece.