Traces of the Brush: The Art of Japanese Calligraphy

From Publishers Weekly
Calligraphy is an art defined by movement and rhythm, which also contains the language of Japanese literature and philosophy, explain the authors of this lavishly illustrated volume. "It is a script brought to perfection, a visual art resonating with words," they write. Accompanied by full-color details from scrolls of poetry, clerical wooden booklets and screen paintings, this elegant book details the history of this ancient art form. Japanese calligraphy grew out of Chinese ideograms, which, along with Buddhism, arrived in Japan by way of Korea in the sixth century and were adapted to the Japanese language. By the ninth century, the ideograms, which are graphic symbols that only refer to meaning, gave rise to a Japanese phonetic script called Kana. From the first Chinese pictograms incised on tortoise shells to the current day incorporation of foreign words, the authors painstakingly examine calligraphy's styles, artists and tools in this visually stunning history. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
In Japanese calligraphy, each stroke is rich with meaning, each character speaks volumes. Traces of the Brush provides the first illustrated history of this unique art. The authors explore its many styles and genres and investigate the calligrapher's tools - paper, ink, and brush. Interwoven with excerpts of literature and poetry, the text immerses the Western reader in the spirit of Japanese calligraphy. Abundant full-color illustrations make this book a feast for the eyes.


About the Author
Louise Boudonnat and Harumi Kushizaki have collaborated on several projects on Japanese culture. They live in France.


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Originally published in France, this exquisite book traces Japanese calligraphy from its Chinese origins to contemporary masters. Boudonnat and Kushizaki, who have collaborated on several books on Japanese culture (e.g., The Way of Incense), here offer a feast for the eye. With 130 breathtaking illustrations from master calligraphers of all major styles and periods, and with a fluid writing style, this book provides a rare comprehensive look at Japanese calligraphy, the first published in English on the subject. The text covers the earliest traces of Chinese script and later development of various Chinese calligraphy styles, then discusses the evolution of the Japanese language and new aspirations of Japanese calligraphy, touching upon bokuseki, or Zen calligraphy; kana, or "women's writing"; and the more decorative "baroque" age of calligraphy. A chapter is devoted to the calligrapher's tools. This beautiful book is highly recommended to all art collections in academic and public libraries.-Lucia S. Chen, NYPL Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.


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