The Complete Commercial Artist: Making Modern Design in Japan, 1928-1930 - by Gennifer Weisenfeld Paperback

About the Book

From 1928 to 1930, Tokyo publisher Ars issued 'The Complete Commercial Artist': a fully illustrated journal of commercial design for both commercial retail spaces and print design. Across its 24 issues, volumes were dedicated to topics ranging from posters, packaging, flyers, page layout and typography to neon signage, billboards and shop window displays. The publication's lead writer, Hamada Masuji, was a passionate advocate for commercial design, and he ensured that its audience included both large manufacturing companies and small businesses, as well as design aficionados in Japan.This generous volume from Letterform Archive Books shares hundreds of exuberant and whimsical pages from all 24 issues of the now-rare publication. An accompanying essay by art historian Gennifer Weisenfeld introduces readers to the magazine's creators and offers analysis into their use of illustration, photography, typography and lettering, highlighting both Japanese and European influences as new forms of media that sparked a global dialogue. Presented for the first time to an English audience, The Complete Commercial Artist: Making Modern Design in Japan 1928-1930 takes readers on an eye-opening tour of interwar Japan's vibrant visual culture.

Book Synopsis

A revelatory, beautifully produced compendium of the influential Japanese commercial design journal, with posters, billboards, shop window displays and more

From 1928 to 1930, Tokyo publisher Ars issued The Complete Commercial Artist: a fully illustrated journal of commercial design for both commercial retail spaces and print design. Featuring countless original designs, its 24 volumes were dedicated to topics ranging from posters, packaging, flyers, page layout and typography to neon signage, billboards and shop window displays. Under the guidance of lead editor and writer Hamada Masuji, a passionate advocate for commercial design, the publication became the most important--and visually dazzling--document of Japanese design in its time.
This generous volume from Letterform Archive Books shares hundreds of exuberant and whimsical pages from all 24 volumes of the now-rare publication. An extensive historical essay and volume-by-volume walk-throughs by art historian Gennifer Weisenfeld introduce readers to the magazine's creators and offer analyses of their use of illustration, photography, typography and lettering, highlighting both Japanese and European influences as new forms of media sparked a global dialogue.
Presented for the first time to an English audience, The Complete Commercial Artist: Making Modern Design in Japan 1928-1930 takes readers on an eye-opening tour of interwar Japan's vibrant visual culture.

Review Quotes

The visual reproductions of lithographs, set type, posters, labels, magazine covers, advertisements, and signs are of excellent quality, which is imperative. Only a few libraries own a full set of the original series, and this publication makes it accessible to English readers for the first time in nearly a century. 'The Complete Commercial Artist' is highly recommended for libraries collecting materials on design, typography and lettering, modern art history, and Japanese art. It is an essential purchase for librarians.--Courtney Stine "ARLIS NA Reviews"

It's as visually pleasing as it is informative, with displays of burgeoning modernist and avant-garde styles alongside detailed historical analysis.--Olivia Hingley "It's Nice That"

An encyclopedic view of the period. The book frames 'The Complete Commercial Artist''s function as not just a document, but an argument for designs' future... reintroducing an underappreciated moment in global design history.--Sophie Tolhurst "Creative Review"

Far more than a simple reprint, the book is a fascinating read, delving deeply into this unique collection that has long been overlooked in the annals of design history. Through meticulous research, art historian Gennifer Weisenfeld provides a comprehensive historical overview and detailed analysis of each volume, accompanied by a plethora of beautifully reproduced full-color images....For anyone interested in the history of design, commercial art, or Japanese culture in general, Letterform Archive's latest publication is a fantastic resource.-- "Inspiration Grid"

The holy grail of graphic design artifacts representing the art deco, or Moderne, period.... When comparing this new version to the original, the printing is so precise it's impossible to tell which is which.... An informative introductory essay by Gennifer Weisenfeld both explains the role of the commercial artist in Japanese culture and contextualizes graphic style in the critical post-World War I Europe era.... A must for every design library.--Steven Heller "PRINT"

This is a priceless treasure of imagery, visual stimuli and inspiration.-- "typeroom"