Engelska

From Edouard Manet's portrait of naturalist writer Emile Zola sitting among his Japanese art finds to Van Gogh's meticulous copies of the Hiroshige prints he devotedly collected, 19th-century pioneers of European modernism made no secret of their love of Japanese art. In all its sensuality, freedom, and effervescence, the woodblock print is single-handedly credited with the wave of japonaiserie that first enthralled France and, later, all of Europe-but often remains misunderstood as an "exotic" artifact that helped inspire Western creativity.<br/><br/>The fact is that the Japanese woodblock print is a phenomenon of which there exists no Western equivalent. Some of the most disruptive ideas in modern art-including, as Karl Marx put it, that "all that is solid melts into air"-were invented in Japan in the 1700s and expressed like never before in the designs of such masters as Hokusai, Utamaro, and Hiroshige in the early 19th century.<br/><br/>This book lifts the veil on a much-loved but little-understood art form by presenting the 200 most exceptional Japanese woodblock prints in their historical context. Ranging from the 17th-century development of decadent ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating world," to the decline and later resurgence of prints in the early 20th century, the images collected in this edition make up an unmatched record not only of a unique genre in art history, but also of the shifting mores and cultural development of Japan.<br/><br/>From mystical mountains to snowy passes, samurai swordsmen to sex workers in shop windows, each piece is explored as a work of art in its own right, revealing the stories and people behind the motifs. We discover the four pillars of the woodblock print-beauties, actors, landscapes, and bird-and-flower compositions-alongside depictions of sumo wrestlers, kabuki actors, or enticing courtesans-rock stars who populated the "floating world" and whose fan bases fueled the frenzied production of woodblock prints. We delve into the horrifying and the obscure in prints where demons, ghosts, man-eaters, and otherworldly creatures torment the living-stunning images that continue to influence Japanese manga, film, and video games to this day. We witness how, in their incredible breadth, from everyday scenes to erotica, the martial to the mythological, these works are united by the technical mastery and infallible eye of their creators and how, with tremendous ingenuity and tongue-in-cheek wit, publishers and artists alike fought to circumvent government censorship.<br/><br/>This edition presents reproductions of the finest extant impressions from the vaults of museums and private collections across the globe. Stunning fold-outs invite us to study even the subtlest details, while extensive descriptions guide us through this frantic period in Japanese art history.

<b>The first comprehensive overview of Ralph Lauren's womenswear collections, from their 1972 debut to today, presented through original catwalk photography.</b><br/><br/> Ralph Lauren debuted his first women's runway collection for Fall 1972 with a show that made his mark instantly, highlighting his exquisite tailoring and uncanny ability to mix opposites elegantly. Taking inspiration from New England's rusticity, the West's natural beauty and Hollywood's glamour, Lauren's designs are a gold-standard for timeless American style with panache. This book celebrates more than 50 years of Lauren's creations, which have garnered many awards, made him a much-loved global brand and influenced the way women dress all over the world.<br/><br/> Ralph Lauren famously launched his menswear business in 1967 with an audacious tie collection, taken up by Bloomingdale's, from which his Polo brand quickly developed. This became, and has remained ever since, a benchmark for polished tailoring with rugged utility. With his dual collections of 1972, Lauren began his rise in the world of women's fashion; fourteen years later he opened his first Paris store on Place de la Madeleine, an affirmation of his ranking with the world's most famed couturiers.<br/><br/> His consistent desire to create 'a way of dressing that redefines the meaning of timelessness' has made his label a by-word for luxury and class - as one critic said, Ralph Lauren 'made it possible to use the words slinky and tweed in the same sentence without risking ridicule'.<br/><br/> Complete with an introduction, designer biography and collection texts by Bridget Foley, this book offers a unique opportunity to explore the work of a great American couturier and creator of one of the world's most celebrated fashion houses.