A Mirror of Japanese Ornament: 600 Traditional Designs

A Mirror of Japanese Ornament: 600 Traditional Designs is a digital design treasury drawn from a rare 1915 five-volume Japanese collection. This PDF edition offers 100 full-color plates and 600 traditional motifs. It is available for instant download after purchase.

Compiled by Kawanabe Masao and originally published as Nihon Seishoku Taikan, this Dover reprint includes translated captions, an introduction, a chronology, and a bibliography. It covers ornament from the Asuka period through the Edo period, with examples that range from florals and cranes to dragons and Buddhas.

A Mirror of Japanese Ornament: Book Overview

This book is a practical reference for designers, illustrators, and students of Japanese art. The plates were selected for their outstanding quality and historical range. They include Silk Road imports, Edo-style textile patterns, and many other decorative motifs found in Japanese visual culture.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• 100 full-color plates reproduced from a rare 1915 Japanese design compilation.
• 600 traditional designs, many with multiple images per plate.
• Ornate florals, elegant cranes, dragons, Buddhas, and more.
• Edo-style textile patterns and Silk Road imports.
• Translated captions from the original Japanese notes.
• A chronology of Japanese periods and a selected bibliography.
• Royalty-free images suitable for fabric, wallpaper, and graphics projects.

Why This Book Matters

This compilation preserves decorative designs from a broad span of Japanese art history. It was created as a serious reference for applied arts and product design. Today it remains a useful visual grammar for anyone working with traditional Japanese ornament.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download, so there is no physical shipping. You will have access immediately after purchase. The PDF works with Kindle apps, tablets, desktop readers, mobile devices, and compatible reading applications.

FAQ

How soon will I receive the book? Access is immediate after purchase, and the PDF is ready for download.

Will a physical copy be shipped? No. This is a digital edition only; no printed book will be sent.

Which devices can I use? You can use Kindle apps, tablets, desktop computers, smartphones, and most PDF reading applications.

With 600 traditional designs in one volume, this digital edition is a dependable resource for design reference and personal study.