Catalogue 40A, Japan and East Asia, now online

Announcing our newest Japan and East Asia Catalogue, no. 40A:

Here is a diverse collection of recently acquired material, running the gamut from useful 20th century reference works on the arts and languages of east Asia to woodblock-illustrated Japanese ehon and design books, prewar avant-garde and modernist fine art, posters and advertising art. From botanicals and birds to social satire and illustrated poetry with a bit of photography included, the visual feast goes on. Click here for the catalogue. Enjoy!

20th Century East Asian Books

click here for catalogue

The creation of useful organizing elements in the field of Japanese illustration is often quite arbitrary. May we plead guilty to that fault in creating this list of Japanese illustrated books of the 20th century. Lumping together books created in various media, books deriving from sources as disparate as Ukiyo-e and the European avant-garde and many schools and traditions in between may confuse as much as it orders, but there it is - the 20th was a messy century. What unites the books is their essential Japanese aesthetic. They play well together, at least as we see them.

Charles Vilnis