UNESCO travelling exhibition: Japanese woodcuts

'C P R E F A C E T O P U R C H A S E PRINTS Government departments a n d educational a n d cultural institu- tions desiring complete duplicate sets o f the prints contained in this exhibition ma y obtain t hem a t special rates through Unesco. Correspondence should be directed either through Unesco National Commissions or Co-operating Bodies or direct to Unesco, 19 Avenue Kléber, Paris-16e, marked: Attention— Department o f Cultural Activities, Print Exhibitions. T h e attention o f educators, students a n d members o f the general public is also d r awn to the Unesco Catalogue o f Colour Reproductions. This illustrated catalogue, published in two volumes, is designed to make high quality prints more easily available and, to this end, lists publishers and prices, in addition to other infor- J T is a great pleasure for us to be given an opportunity to assist in introducing Japanese Ukiyo-e woodcut prints to various parts o f the world, through this Travelling mation. I t c an b e obtained through the Unesco Sales Distribution Exhibition prepared by Unesco with the co-operation o f the Japanese National Commis- Agents listed a t the back o f this catalogue, o r from Unesco, sion f o r Unesco. 1 9 Avenue Kléber, Paris-16e. Ukzyo-e is an art o f purely Japanese style derived from Tamato-e, the classical Japa- nese style o f painting which had been developed since the Fujiwara period or from about Currency difficulties will not prevent private individuals from the tenth century. I t is an art f o r commoners created early in the Edo period or in the buying any o f the colour prints listed i n this catalogue, late seventeenth century, and it attained greatest popularity after the invention o f Nishiki-e, All these prints1 can b e bought with Unesco coupons available the bright polychrome woodcut printing, in the middle o f the period, or the second ha?f qf the eighteenth century. I t is highly prized, not only by the Japanese but by people in in the following countries: other parts o f the world, and even had an important influence on the Impressionists in Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, Ge rma n Federal Republic, Europe. Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Pakistan, Thailand, Upon receiving Unesco's welcome suggestion, we arranged to make the best o f this Un i on o f Burma, Union o f South Africa, United Kingdom (includ- happy opportunity to help make the art o f Japanese Ukyo-e understood and appreciated ing British Colonial a n d Tr u s t Territories), in its entirety. In preparing the list o f exhibits an endeavour has been made not only Book coupons are also on sale a t Unesco Science Co-operation to show representative works offamous artists, but also to cover the whole history and the Offices in: various fields o f Ukjyo-e from its beginning, all through its development to the final stage - o f its maturity. Cairo, Istanbul, Shanghai, Delhi, Manila This Ukyo-e exhibition is unprecedented both in quality and in scale. We hope that covering the following countries: this memorable occasion may bring about true understanding o f Ukjyo-e, that it may Afghanistan, Ceylon, China, Cyprus, / Egypt, Hashemite contribute to a greater knowledge o f art throughout the world and help promote international understanding and collaboration which is the soul o f Unesco. To the realization of Kingdom o f J o r dan , India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, these wishes we devoted our efforts in collaborating with Unesco in organizing the present Israel, J a p a n , Korea, Lebanon, Malaya, Philippines, Pakistan, • exhibition. We had the printing blocks specially engraved anew to make the repro- Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Turkey, Un i on o f Burma. dzictions. For this purpose we enlisted the collaboration o f practically all the leading Fo r forther information please write to Unesco, 19 avenue technical experts in this field so that the art o f Ukyo-e might be presented at its best. Kléber, Paris-i6°. We believe we have attained a satisfactory result. The term "reproductions" in this case requires a word o f comment. The prints ' E x c e p t those published i n Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Sweden. displayed in the present exhibition are essentially different from reproductions o f paintings. They are not woodcut reproductions o f brushwork paintings, but are made, from the making o f the wood-blocks to the final printing processes, entirely in the traditional 5