Ōishi Matora 大石真虎, artist

Soga Hyakubutsu 麁画百物 [Sketches of a Hundred Things]

1832. Item #88475

Soga Hyakubutsu 麁画百物 [Sketches of a Hundred Things]

Ōishi Matora 大石真虎, artist

Osaka: Bunkaido, Tsurugaya Kuhei,

Tempo 3 [1832]

2 volumes 22.4 x 16 cm, string-bound, Japanese-style, fukuro-toji. In the original blue and white patterned covers with the original printed paper title label. The colophon also has a publisher advertisement. Single and double page original woodblock prints with light color. Some pages have full page images, while others have multiple images per page, some with Japanese text, by artist Ōishi Matora 大石真虎 (1793–1833). Woodcuts include scenes of street and stage performers, two ladies giggling at a drunken man prone on the floor, a woman nursing her baby, a cheeky monkey on a string, a farmer in his field, a leisurely boat ride, a busy marketplace and other settings and figures from daily life.

The Mitchell copy was bound in two volumes, as is this copy (see Mitchell p.496). Our copy is complete with the inner front cover preface sheet, all the illustrations and the colophon. Hillier appreciates this little-known work (see “The Art of the Japanese Book” p.794) and so do we; Ōishi Matora is an underappreciated artist, a master of many styles. (Also mentioned in Brown, p.110 and Ryerson, p. 391).

First cho in Vol 1 is split. The lower half of the outside printed cover overlay in Vol 1 is torn away and there is worming on the cover of Vol 2 through the first few pages, otherwise it is in very good condition with very good printing. Housed in a lovely, modern, brown plaid fabric-covered chitsu with clasps. From beginning to end a wonderful collection of free and vibrant genre scenes.

Price: $1,500.00