Seigensha Art Publishing Livres

The letter designs in this collection by Katsumi Tsuji, a graphic designer who was active in the Taisho and Showa periods, appear fresh and new in any age they are seen. Each of the letters in this compilation was hand-drawn. These letter designs, also called lettering, differ from the fonts that are stored as existing data in computers. All of the letter designs, newly created by the graphic designer to match the words and phrases expressed or the particular medium employed, were originally published in 1934 in 'A Collection of Contemporary Letter Designs'.

Posters were introduced to Japan from Europe toward the end of the Meiji period, along with printing techniques and design concepts from which their modern-day counterparts evolved. This convenient, pocket-size collection presents more than 200 posters ranging in style from examples reminiscent of ukiyo-e ‘bijin-ga’ and featuring beautiful women, to colourful contemporary designs produced during the Taisho and early Showa periods, a time when visual design flourished in Japan. Compiled from the collection of the Museum and Archives at the Kyoto Institute of Technology Design, it is a fascinating look at the variety and scope of Japanese posters through the 20th century.