Laforet collection
Dates
- Creation: circa 1765-1964 (bulk 1780-1860)
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1780 - 1860
Scope and Contents
This collection contains Japanese artwork dating from the mid-eighteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries. While the majority of this collection consists of ukiyo-e woodblock prints, there are also a number of examples of the mingei (folk art) movement and the sosaku hanga ("creative prints") movement of the early 20th century, including pieces by Sadao Watanabe, Kiyoshi Saito, and Unichi Hiratsuka.
The bulk of the ukiyo-e prints are by Ando Hiroshige; other notable artists include Katsushika Hokusai, Katsukawa Shunko, Kitagawa Utamaro, and Isoda Koryusai. The collection contains 46 prints from Hiroshige's famous series "The Fifty Three Stations of the Tokaido Road," as well as several images from other series including "The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido Road" and "Chushingura" (sometimes translated as "The Storehouse of Loyal Retainers," "The Revenge of the Loyal Retainers," or "The Tale of the 47 Ronin"). Overall the collection contains excellent examples of traditional ukiyo-e styles and themes, including bijin-ga ("beautiful women"), azuri-e ("blue print"), kabuki actors, folk tales, and landscape scenes.
Several of the items in this collection are not original woodblock prints, but reproductions from the series Nihon Mokuhangasui, published in the 1920s by Nihon Shosui-sha. The original sleeves are stored with these reproductions in Box 7. The collection also includes one painting.
Creator
- From the Collection: Suzuki, Harunobu, 1725?-1770 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Torii, Kiyonaga, 1752-1815 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Isoda, Koryūsai, active 1735-1790 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Katsukawa, Shunkō, 1743-1812 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Takahashi, Shōtei, 1871-1945 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Tomikawa Fusanobu (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Ishiwata, Kōitsu, 1897-1987 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Andō, Hiroshige, 1797-1858 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Katsushika, Hokusai, 1760-1849 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Saitō, Kiyoshi, 1907-1997 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Kitagawa, Utamaro, 1753?-1806 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Shunman, Kubo, 1757-1820 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Utagawa, Toyokuni, 1769-1825 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Utagawa, Kuniyoshi, 1798-1861 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Ikeda, Eisen, 1790-1848 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Hosoda, Eishi, 1756-1829 (Artist, Person)
- From the Collection: Kikukawa, Eizan, 1787-1867 (Artist, Person)
Restrictions on access
Collection is open for research; portions are available digitally.
Extent
3.0 Linear Feet (3 containers)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: Japanese
Repository Details
Part of the John J. Burns Library Repository
John J. Burns Library
Boston College
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill MA 02467 United States
617-552-4861
library.bc.edu/burns/contact