Haiku Animals (Gift Books) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0714124613 ISBN 13: 9780714124612

Publisher: British Museum Press, 2010

Synopsis

This second volume of haiku focusing on the animal kingdom takes you on a journey through a single day with a variety of animal companions. The book will reproduce works by the great 17th and 18th century poets such as Bashō, Buson and Issa, as well as later works by contemporary writers and novelists. The haiku form is a perfect way of capturing a moment of experience or a fleeting impression, and in this book, the impressions are strengthened and extended by the illustrations. Special is made of Utamaro’s exquisite Ehon mushi erabi (A Selection of Insects). The fact that this sophisticated artist chose insects for one of his most luxurious woodblock printed albums underlines the Japanese appreciation of even the most diminutive of animals, which is shown repeatedly, too, in the haiku: even fleas can be the subject of an affectionate poem. Elsewhere in the animal kingdom, horses, dogs, monkeys and a variety of birds also make good subjects. A selection of beautiful prints, hanging scroll and hand-scroll paintings illustrates these too.

About this title

About the Author

Mavis Pilbeam is former Librarian in the Japanese Section of the Department of Asia in the British Museum. She is the author of several children's books about Japan as well as `The British Museum Birds' and `The British Museum Little Book of Cats'.

Edition details

• Publisher: British Museum Press
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0714124613
• ISBN 13: 9780714124612
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96
• Editor: Mavis Pilbeam