Gould, Irving; Photographs by Glass, Michael B. — The Gould Collection of Netsuke

Book Good No Jacket 1st Edition Michael B. Glass & Associates, Inc., New York, U.S.A. English text.; Hardcover (without dust jacket - as issued, in slipcase).; 27 x 36 cm.; 3.8 kg.; 448 pages with colour illustrations.; LIMITED EDITION, OF WHICH THIS IS NUMBER 258.; Used with signs of wear on the exterior and interior. The slipcase show several wear signs, and is taped throughout the all left side, has tears at the bottom and top of the left side of the spine and shows also some wear marks, edge wear, scuffs and scratches. The hardcover cloth shows minor signs of wear on the exterior. Interior in very good condition, except for the first page which includes the pen written name of a previous owner owner.; "From the many art forms that Japan has produced throughout its history, those small Edo period (1615-1868) sculptures called netsuke have become a collector's delight. While these objects may be appreciated visually, their most unusual characteristic is that they can also be handled. In fact, this very tactile sense, where the spirit of both the carver and the carving can be transmitted directly through handling, adds to its popularity in the West. It is of course impossible to communicate these special qualities fully through the two-dimensionality of photography. Photographer Michael Glass, however, when faced with this impossible task, succeeded greatly in capturing the "sense" or "presence" inherent in these works of art. In the past, collections of netsuke were often judged by their quantity rather than their quality. Recently, however, due to increased appreciation and more finite study, this attitude has changed and collections such as the one presented here represent not only those highly respected "masterpieces" relished by other collectors and museum curators, but also subject matter that outwardly appears rather staid and mundane. Rendered in an almost simplistic style, however, these quiet pieces relate the spiritual intent of artisans whose skill could see past the form. The Gould collection reflects the taste of a man aware and respectful of the magic attached to these very special creations. The greatest collections of netsuke are now in the United States and Europe, with little left in Japan. It is ironic that almost all the research centering on these objects in the last fifty years has been by Occidentals, with only three known primary sources available. It is only now that Japanese scholars are becoming truly aware of the place that netsuke holds in the history of art." foreword.