Takeuchi SEIHO after Tsuchida EISHO

Takeuchi SEIHO after Tsuchida EISHO
Eisho Hyaku-cho Gafu [Pictures of one hundred birds from works by Eisho]
2218

Volume I (of 2) only, folio (13 1/8 x 9 inches). Title and 6pp. text, 50pp woodcut illustrations of birds (47 pages with hand-colouring). Typical concertina fold-out form, original wrappers, upper cover with sprinkling of gold leaf and title blocked in black, sewn with purple thread, purple silk bands to head and foot of spine; An excellent representative sample with beautifully observed prints. The very fine illustrations are apparently by Takeuchi Seiho after the originals by Tsuchida Eisho. They take the form of a series of visual notes, recording the attitudes of the birds as well as details of their tails, wings or flight. The 19 different species shown include an eagle, a magpie, a wading bird, various seed-eating birds, two different kinds of heron, a bittern, tits and song birds. The lay-out of the pages varies greatly but is generally governed by the size of the bird shown: a number of the smaller birds are shown with up to five studies of one species on a single page, whilst the various studies of the eagle are spread over ten pages. 12 of the compositions showing larger birds are spread over double-pages. L.N. Brown Block Printing and Book Illustration in Japan (London: 1924) p.202; C.H. Mitchell & Osamu Ueda The Illustrated Books of the Nanga, Maruyama, Shijo and other related schools of Japan A biobibliography (Los Angeles; 1972) p. 249.

Price Upon Request