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H-JAPAN February 16, 2005 Dismissed as Elegant Fossils Konoe Nobutada and the role of aristocrats in Early Modern Japan Lee Bruschke-Johnson Japonica Neerlandica series Volume 9 Konoe Nobutada (1565-1614) was a famous calligrapher and the head of a high-ranking aristocratic family. Nobutada's contributions to the art and culture of Japan have been frequently overlooked, largely because of the common misperception that aristocrats were too outdated, impoverished and powerless to be worthy of discussion. Dismissed as elegant fossils seeks to reinstate aristocrats as key players in the competition for political and artistic supremacy by examining Nobutada's calligraphy and painting, his turbulent relationship with Tokugawa Ieyasu, and his family's role in marital politics. In addition, the author suggests that Nobutada, like many members of the Kyoto area elite, had numerous practical reasons to oppose Tokugawa rule and therefore would lend cautious support to any effort to overthrow Ieyasu. Although his role is often downplayed by scholars, the primary threat to Ieyasu came from Toyotomi Hideyoshi's son Hideyori (1593-1615). Nobutada's concern for the outcome of this power struggle is documented in letters that suggest direct involvement. This, and other details of his biography confirm that Nobutada was much more than a spineless effete who passively allowed warriors to determine the destiny of his family. CONTENTS Preface & Acknowledgements; Introduction; Nobutada's Heritage: Aristocrats in Japanese Art 1400-1600; Biography; Politics and Art, 1600-15; Nobutada and Calligraphy; Classical Poetry Resonates in the Works of Nobutada; Moving Beyond the Traditional: The Eight Views of Omi and Calligraphy Screens; Nobutada's Images of Tenjin; After Nobutada: Some Notes on Themes and Formats; Postscript: The Konoe Family in Politics, 1615-1700; Conclusion; Appendices; Bibliography; Index. 2004 · Cloth · 256 pp. · 30 b/w ills. · 245 x 165 mm · ISBN 90 74822 52 5 · EUR 68.50 / GBP 50 / US$ 95 Yours sincerely, Erik Rasmussen International Marketing & Sales KIT Publishers / Hotei Publishing Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) P.O. Box 95001 1090 HA Amsterdam The Netherlands Email e.rasmussen@kit.nl Phone +31 (0)20 568 8330 Fax +31 (0)20 568 8286 www.kit.nl/publishers www.hotei-publishing.com www.kit.nl/hotei ****************************************************************** To post to H-Japan send your message to H-Japan@h-net.msu.edu To temporarily interrupt your H-Japan service send a message to <listserv@h-net.msu.edu> with the message: SET H-JAPAN NOMAIL When you wish to resume H-Japan service send a similar message: SET H-JAPAN MAIL In both cases, leave the subject line blank. *******************************************************
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