The Elements of Japanese Design by John W. Dower

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The Japanese sense of graphic design is famous for its inventiveness, variety, and elegance. The qualities are notably evident in the most basic of Japanese design elements, the mon, or Japanese family crest. This hardcover book presents 2,715 examples of the crests divided into 211 motifs drawn from many different aspects of nature and life.

The book is unique in several ways, being a treasury of design, symbolism, heraldry, and h history. Not only are the crests arranged logically by themes but their development and significance are traced in the lively text, and their symbolism is explained in the text and the detailed commentaries accompanying the illustrations. A full cross-referenced index further increases the books’ usefulness. As the user of this book is sure to find, the motifs of the mon are a historian’s gold mine, their symbolism is a joy for lovers of the arcane, and their variety and complexity, and beauty are a designer’s delight.

Condition: Very Good condition for the book is fully intact without marks. The dust cover is slightly worn from shelving. Otherwise, the book is in excellent readable condition.