Tacoma Art Museum Docents Blog TAM Docents Blog: TAM: Japanese prints reading suggestions

The following books on Japanese prints have been recommended by the Zoe in the Curatorial department (comments on the books are by Zoe):

Hartley, Craig. Prints of the Floating World, 1997.
An excellent introduction to ukiyo-e and the Edo Period in Japan—very complete and contained. I would highly recommend the essay “The Floating World” on pages 8-15 for docents. Beautifully written and says it all. Not sure if it is in the ARC.
Neuer, Roni. Ukiyo-e: 250 Years of Japanese Art, 1978.
A good over-all survey book. A copy is available in the ARC, but it may currently be in use by Curatorial.
Clark, Timothy and others. The Dawn of the Floating World, 1650-1765, Early Ukiyo-e Treasures from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2002.
This is kind of more of the same—overall introduction to early ukiyo-e. But it has its merits: recent scholarship, a stellar museum, and Clark is one of the most respected historians of ukiyo-e. Not sure if it is in the ARC.
Lane, Richard, Images from the Floating World: The Japanese Print, 1978.
More than you ever wanted to know about ukiyo-e and definitive. This book has been my bible. A copy is located in the ARC. Please be forewarned that this book contains a large number of Japanese erotic prints!