Posted by Dave Bull at 8:06 AM, April 6, 2013 [Permalink]
Collector and friend Serge Astieres sent along a link this morning - to a new web site that he has just completed. It's 'La route du Kisodaido' (I don't think you need a translation ...)
Serge has built a vast website, with history on the famous old road, all kinds of background information, and of course plenty of woodblock print versions of all the stages. A particularly interesting feature of the site is the collection of photos he has dug up which compare each location in various eras - back in Edo time, then when photography came along, and of course in the present day.
Please make a visit to the site; you'll find plenty to keep you busy all day! (You'll need to brush up on your French to be able to understand all his commentary, but the images of course speak for themselves.)
This is quite serendipitous for me, as on Friday a friend brought me a little book published in Japan in 1965, which he'd found in Boston on the famous outdoor shelves at the old book store and picked up for me--"Down the Emperor's Road With Hiroshige." And now, you write about this marvelous blog with the map showing the Tokaido and a second famous old road. Clearly, I am being drawn into the fascinating world of Japanese woodblock prints ever deeper. Is there no way to just collect a few of David Bull's woodblock prints and be at peace? If the delight with which I welcomed this link is any clue, I am already past that point, even though I certainly have a way to go yet with collecting your prints! There was a third happenstance; my son brought me a lovely framed pair of rather large woodblock prints he'd recently picked up at auction for very little. He now notices woodblock prints.
Tonight the latest Arts of Japan print arrived and we had the fun of opening it, first admiring the selection of stamps, as always, and then the print! We always put it on the table to examine and discuss while we read the text and share what we know about the subject--those cormorants, can they count or not? After admiring every part of the print at close range comes the ritual of taking down the last display, once again appreciating the beautifully made box, then putting the new print on the stand. David, did you know your work has created a new 'family time' at my house? This is another thing for which I thank you.
