Scan barcode
mandalor3960's review against another edition
2.0
The similarities between Mishima’s works and this book end as far as the subject matter being of Spanish Baroque architecture and renaissance paintings. When taking these photographs, Yukio Mishima had shown Eikoh Hosoe, the photographer, his reproductions of renaissance paintings, one specifically of Saint Sebastian, and from this Hosoe uses Mishima’s paintings to create his own interpretation and expression of Mishima. Even though Mishima is acceptive, supportive, and pushes for the publication of Hosoe’s work, I cannot find this book to be the most authentic portrayal of Mishima’s works. In the first place, to translate what is done in literature to a medium such as photography is impossible. Even Mishima’s forward details a cycle of beauty that I have not encountered in any of the works of Mishima that I have read so far. The forward felt as if Mishima was accomadating himself for Hosoe’s interpretation and expression of Mishima.
I will concede Mark Holborn’s commentary in the afterward: “However, the subsequent publication of his final cycle of novels, The Sea of Fertility, which had been conceived eight years earlier, revealed that his death was a carefully considered act, a gesture of historical implication in perfect accord with the morbid and erotic aesthetic that pervades his writing. Barakei is the most explicit visual evidence of this aesthetic”. I believe these photographs are iconic to any follower of Mihima, however, this book’s forward and stitching of a theme do not feel authentic. I would push the notion that the book synthesizes Mishima’s persona and his conflict with the east and the west, rather than his literary works.
This book is mentioned as being the third edition of the book, with many changes in comparison to the second edition that was published in January of 1971, the year following Mishima’s suicide. I would have liked to see the second edition instead, since the changes done for the third edition appear unwarranted. A simple reprinting could have been done, especially when Hosoe admits that the second editions had largely disappeared when the third edition had been requested.
As for my personal reception to the photographs, I was off-put by the photographs containing the Virgin Mary and the renaissance paintings, which accounted for the majority of the photos. I enjoyed more so the photographs with Mishima positioning himself in his home alongside architecture, and Mishima posing alongside Akiko Motofuji and Kyoko Enami.
On a minor note, Mark Holborn’s afterwards is one of the most well articulated summaries of Mishima’s impact on the world following his suicide.
December 28, 2019
Update
Adding to the last paragraph of the original review, my praise for the afterward includes a three, and at times a four star-rating for it.
I am also not sure if photographs with the Virgin Mary and renaissance paintings account for half of the book, as my original review asserts. I will have to look at the book again later. For now, this is a steady two star-rated book.
I will concede Mark Holborn’s commentary in the afterward: “However, the subsequent publication of his final cycle of novels, The Sea of Fertility, which had been conceived eight years earlier, revealed that his death was a carefully considered act, a gesture of historical implication in perfect accord with the morbid and erotic aesthetic that pervades his writing. Barakei is the most explicit visual evidence of this aesthetic”. I believe these photographs are iconic to any follower of Mihima, however, this book’s forward and stitching of a theme do not feel authentic. I would push the notion that the book synthesizes Mishima’s persona and his conflict with the east and the west, rather than his literary works.
This book is mentioned as being the third edition of the book, with many changes in comparison to the second edition that was published in January of 1971, the year following Mishima’s suicide. I would have liked to see the second edition instead, since the changes done for the third edition appear unwarranted. A simple reprinting could have been done, especially when Hosoe admits that the second editions had largely disappeared when the third edition had been requested.
As for my personal reception to the photographs, I was off-put by the photographs containing the Virgin Mary and the renaissance paintings, which accounted for the majority of the photos. I enjoyed more so the photographs with Mishima positioning himself in his home alongside architecture, and Mishima posing alongside Akiko Motofuji and Kyoko Enami.
On a minor note, Mark Holborn’s afterwards is one of the most well articulated summaries of Mishima’s impact on the world following his suicide.
December 28, 2019
Update
Adding to the last paragraph of the original review, my praise for the afterward includes a three, and at times a four star-rating for it.
I am also not sure if photographs with the Virgin Mary and renaissance paintings account for half of the book, as my original review asserts. I will have to look at the book again later. For now, this is a steady two star-rated book.
More...