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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 301
EAN num: 9780807615454
ISBN number: 0807615455
Label: George Braziller
Manufacturer: George Braziller
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 160
Printing Date: September 30, 2004
Publishing house: George Braziller
Sale Popularity Level: 788494
Studio: George Braziller
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Product Description:
Renowned throughout the world as purveyors of beauty, mystery, and allure, geisha have come to represent the epitome of Japanese elegance and chic. The rich 250-year history of these performance artists is vividly presented in this volume, taking the reader behind the masklike makeup and into the studios where they train and rehearse and the teahouses where they entertain.
Geisha have altered definitions of feminine beauty and identity and are the prevailing icons of Japanese womanhood. Their influence on Japan's decorative arts is documented by their beautiful kimono and hair ornaments and by the musical instruments and fans they use in their performances. The contributors to this book, all prominent specialists on Japanese culture, each consider a particular aspect of geisha tradition and aesthetics, from their music and dance to misperceptions of the profession by foreigners, from the portrayal of geisha as recurring characters in theater and film to profiles of talented women who choose this life and work today. Illustrated with woodblock prints and paintings as well as historical and contemporary photographs, this groundbreaking study also explores the dynamic tension between image and reality in the art of these exquisite entertainers.
Geisha: Beyond the Painted Smile is a comprehensive presentation of geisha culture from its origins nearly three centuries ago to contemporary Japan. Disciplined performance artists of supreme grace and beauty, geisha are unique ambassadors of Japan's traditional culture. 158 colour illustrations and photographs.
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Rated by buyers -
A beautiful book, this volume offers an excellent introduction to geisha traditions in Japan and fascination with "geisha girls" abroad.
Rated by buyers -
The geisha have long represented Japanese elegance and chic and have been popularized by the recent best-selling book and movie MAKING OF A GEISHA: for further insights on their history choose the lovely visual and historical pairing in GEISHA: BEYOND THE PAINTED SMILE. Over two hundred years of these performance artists is revealed in a survey of geisha training, rehearsing, and entertainment. Chapters hold fine essay contributions by prominent specialists on Japanese culture who each consider a different aspect of the geisha tradition. Add woodblocks and paintings in colour from the Peabody Museum's holdings and you have a fine survey indeed.
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch
Rated by buyers -
This is another coffee-table-crusher book on the subject of geisha; this particular work was put out by the Peabody Essex Museum to accompany an exhibit there. It is composed of a blend of elements, but they flow together fairly seamlessly.
There are a number of contributing authors, including the show's curator Andrew Maske as well as familiar names such as Liza Dably, Arthur Golden and Lesley Downer; they address different aspects of the geisha world, such as why geisha even exist, how western stereotypes and misunderstandings developed, the aspects of geisha exoticism and style and more.
There are numerous photographs (from very early to modern, in grey and white, colour and tinted sepia). The photos are not only of geisha, then and now, but they also focus on kimono (sometimes accompanied with a picture of the geisha to whom it belonged clad in it), hair ornaments and accessories, even something as small as a netsuke kimono toggle. Like the details of a finely carved netsuke, the details of this book make it clear that someone took great care with the construction and preparation of this piece.
The book also holds the most extensive amassment of woodcut pictures that I've seen in one place on this subject, and the captions are very descriptive and useful (I suppose they correspond with the explanatory cards that one would see beside an art piece on the wall of a museum).
There is also a section featuring photos from Yoko Yamamoto, whose artistic yet modern photographic sensibility lends a unique flavor to the collection. Having spent two decades in Tokyo's Kagurazaka district, she has the privelege of intimacy with her subjects that the average photographer does not; coupled with her artistry, her photographs are very meaningful for this collection.
Even if you go into this book knowing a lot about this subject, the text will still enlighten you. The blend of experiences and viewpoints of the multiple contributors adds depth, and again the research that has gone in for the sake of the exhibit is evident.
I wish I could have seen this exhibit, but lacking that, I can enjoy this beautiful book. If you take an interest in the subject, I believe you will enjoy it as well.
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