A uniquely comprehensive survey of Japanese narrative art (Monogatari-e, or story pictures) across eight centuries
Demonstrates the entire range of artistic media and techniques used for this type of Japanese art
Features some 100 rarely or never before published art works, including paintings, woodblock prints, illustrated woodblock-printed books, lacquer and metal objects, porcelain, and textiles


The use of pictures to communicate a story has a long tradition in Japanese culture that dates back more than a thousand years. Such narrative illustrations draw on Buddhist texts, classic literature, poetry, and theatrical scenes to create rich visual imagery realised in a wide range of media and format. Quotations from and allusions to heroic epics and romances were disseminated through exquisite paintings, woodblock prints, and in pieces of applied arts such as lacquer ware or ceramics, thus becoming anchored in the collective consciousness. As story-telling art found expression in a variety of materialities, it became an integral part of daily life. A fascinating narrative space evolved that combined artistic excellence and aesthetic pleasure.