[EHON] Yamamoto BAIOKU, artist

BAIOKU GAFU

1865. Item #89904

[EHON] Yamamoto BAIOKU, artist. BAIOKU GAFU. N.P., N.D. No publishing information, but the final note is dated Keiô Gan-nen [1865]. 27.2 x 20.5 cm. String-bound, Japanese style, fukuro-toji, with the printed paper title label intact. The covers are a bit worn and there are a few internal blemishes, but overall a good copy of this scarce book. The 60 b+w woodblock images, largely of birds, flowers and landscapes seem to capture the age in which the book appeared. The restlessness and chaos of the last years of the old regime are reflected here. Baioku, the adopted son of Yamamoto Baiitsu, was born in 1822. Like Baiitsu, he was known for his abilities as a Nanga painter. Mitchell catalogues this work on p.216 (the Ryerson copy). The KSSM lists but two copies of this book located in Japan. I find the variety and occasional brilliance of the images an inspiration. The printing quality is indifferent overall, but ehon of this sort from the 1860s are largely unknown, as it was a time of economic and social upheaval. The spirit that informs the book has a revolutionary edge to it - an associate immediately responded to it as resembling something done in the 1960s. In a custom clasped chitsu case. Interesting.

Price: $1,750.00