Fashion and the Floating World. Japanese ukiyo-e Prints

London, 2024, V&A Museum. Cm. 33×25, pp. 256, ill. a colori n.t., ril. cartonato.

This sumptuous book explores the important role that woodblock prints played in the fashionable world of Edo–period Japan (1603–1868). One hundred and forty ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”) offer us a vivid view of the culture of entertainment, style, and glamour that developed in bustling urban centers. Expert curators bring to life the scenes and figures depicted, and highlight the fashions, dress accessories, and hairstyles shown in these colorful and compelling images by artists such as Utagawa Kunisada and Utagawa Hiroshige. Benefitting from the V&A’s world-leading collection and including many rarely seen prints, this is a fascinating glimpse into an exciting world of celebrity actors, courtesans, kimono retailers, fabric workshops, makeup brands, theatre managers, brothel keepers, and restaurant owners.