Japanese art is diverse and harmonious, ancient and modern, beautiful and challenging. With so much history and meaning behind Japanese art, it can get a little confusing to sort it all out and fully understand these masterpieces. With a book that was just released last month on December 20^th, 2011, expanding your knowledge of Japanese art will be a snap. Storytelling in Japanese Art is a new book that retells seventeen classic Japanese stories though the visual narrative of art.

 Authentic Japanese scrolls—thirty in all—dating from the 13^th century to the 19^th century are depicted in full color, quality images that really show the true details of these gorgeous pieces of art. Among the stories retold are the Peach Boy, Great Woven Cap, Tale of a Strange Marriage, and The Tale of the Genji. The stories range from adventurous to philosophical, romantic to downright scary, so there is a little something for all tastes. The illustrations are described in detail so that the reader can connect the story behind each scroll to the art itself. Many of the book's pages feature fold-outs that allow the reader to view the depicted scroll in its full span, and information about the history and tradition of Japanese storytelling through art is thoroughly discussed in the book's introduction. The 120-page book is published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is offered in an inexpensive paperback format. Authored by Masako Watanabe, senior research associate in the department of Asian art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Storytelling in Japanese Art is a scholarly work that's written in a style and tone the common art lover can understand and enjoy.