When in the middle of the nineteenth century Japan emerged from a long period of isolation, her art and artifacts gained immediate and enthusiastic recognition in the West. One of the most popular and accessible forms was the woodblock print, which had a profound influence on some of the greatest Impressionist and Post-Impressionist painters. In this book Celia Whitford has put together a selection of the most charming prints by a wide variety of artists. One of the earliest was Moronobu (c. 1655-1700), who began the tradition of producing prints as single sheets not attached to books. He was followed by such masters as Harunobu, Shunsho, Utamaro, Kiyonaga, Hokusai and Hiroshige, all of whom are represented here. - Jacket flap.