The Floating World of Ukiyo-e : Shadows, Dreams and Substance

Focusing on Ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating or sorrowful world"), the colourful woodblock prints that are the most popular form of Japanese art, this book introduces the little-seen collection held by the Library of Congress.

This collection of prints, drawings and books, one of the largest outside Japan, has never been exhibited and has rarely been handled.

The art form of Ukiyo-e first flourished in 17th-century Edo (now Tokyo), depicting landscapes, portraits of courtesans and actors.

This book includes known masterpieces by such names as Hokusai, Hiroshige and Kunisada, as well as rare and unusual prints that have not been explored before, and thus serves as a survey of its subject.