[SKETCHTOUR GENRE] Kanao Bun'endô　金尾文淵, publisher.

HANSHIN MEISHO-ZUE　 阪神名所図会

1916. Item #90038

[SKETCHTOUR GENRE] Kanao Bun'endô　金尾文淵, publisher. HANSHIN MEISHO-ZUE　 阪神名所図会. A folding album of 30 ôban-size color woodcut prints, printed by Nishimura Kumakichi and published by Kanao Bun'endô in 1916-17. There are two prefatory pages: a map of the trip around western Japan depicted herein, and a table of contents, plus the prints. The artists who designed the prints were Akamatsu Rinsaku　赤松麟作　 (1878-1953), Noda Kyuhô　野田九甫 (1879-1971), Hata Tsuneharu　幡 恒春(1883-? ), Mizushima Nihou (or Nihofu)　水島爾保布(1884-1958) and Nagai Hyosai　永井瓢齊 (1882-1945). Our copy has little to none of the foxing to which this work is often subject, with just a bit of mild toning to one or two of the prints. The finest of all of Bun'endô's remarkable portfolio productions, the HANSHIN MEISHO ZUE is very scarce, even individual prints from the series are by no means common. For more on this remarkable work, see Charles Mitchell's article in ESSAYS ON JAPANESE ART PRESENTED TO JACK HILLIER.
This set is of the orihon folding album variant, issued by Bun'endô with title page, etc., but without the fascicle covers of the subscription series. Thus, complete, as issued. The state of the printing is very good, as are the colors, with only the mildest signs of a bit of foxing, mostly marginal, to a few of the prints. In brocade covers, all in a clasped chitsu case.

Price: $7,500.00