[EHON] TSURUNOYA Osamaru, editor.

KYÔKA KANYÛSHÛ

1840. Item #90320

[EHON] TSURUNOYA Osamaru, editor. KYÔKA KANYÛSHÛ. [Tempô 11 {1840}] Ôsaka, carved by Shihosan Kiyû. A compilation of comical tanka, with illustratons in stunning colors by Kitagawa Horonobu and Matsukawa Hanzan (1815-1882). While little is known about the former artist, Matsukawa Hanzan is known to have studied art under ukiyo-e painter Suga Shoho (1790-1851) from an early age, after which he studied the styles of Niwa Tokei and Okada Gyokuzan and became skillful at painting landscape scenes. Horonobu and Hanzan's illustrations in this book depict poets in small groups, composing. The double page frontispiece of a beautifully-dressed noblewoman gazing out into the distance from her home, a small spider descending from the roof into her line of sight, is particularly striking. A beautiful and scarce volume, with only one copy located in OCLC. Original wrappers bound in a fukuro-toji style, a little worn and with a few ink stains to upper wrapper. Original printed title slip present. Some worming to text and illustrations, repaired. Continuous light stain to the foot of the text pages, not affecting illustrations. Staining to the gutter of the last two (unnumbered) pages of text. Overall in very good condition. On the lower pastedown the words (in Japanese) 'Naniwa: Owned by Tsurunoya', have been printed, with a kao signature underneath, suggesting that this book may have belonged to this author's private collection. Includes 11 double-page color woodblock-printed illustrations, two single-page color woodblock-printed illustrations, and 7 pages of text with delicate color woodblock-printed decorations in the background. The rest of the pages are woodblock-printed in black and white. Very good. 1 v., complete. 17, 26, [2] leaves.? 22 x 15.9 cm. Text in Japanese.

Price: $1,600.00