He may very well be the most productive artist of the eighteenth century. Refuting outmoded paradigms of connoisseurship and challenging the assumptions of conventional print scholarship, Allen Hockley elevates this important figure from the status of a minor Edo-period artist. He argues that Koryusai excelled by the most significant measure -- he was a highly successful creator of popular commodities. Employing an "active audience" model, Hockley reshapes the study of ukiyo-e as a.

Published in conjunction with a fall 1995 exhibition of the Ehrenkranz Collection at the Japan Society in New York City. An introductory essay details the processes of harvesting, refining, and applying lacquer, and gives a historical overview of the evolution of specific techniques. Fifty-five examples from the 15th to the 18th centuries are shown in full-page photos, and are thoroughly described and explicated in accompanying text. A glossary of technical terms and a detailed bibliography contribute to the book's usefulness for collectors, scholars, and dealers. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR