“A late Edo period extensively illustrated women’s encyclopaedia: The Princess Library Women’s Encyclopaedia “Jogyou daizen hime bunko”

“A late Edo period extensively illustrated women’s encyclopaedia: The Princess Library Women’s Encyclopaedia “Jogyou daizen hime bunko”

100 people’s poems, teachings for women “hyakunin isshu, jo kyoukun” 25.3x18cm

Original flexible covers, colour printed endpapers, two page woodblock print in colour,

169 leaves (approx. 340 pages) of illustrations and text.

Every one of the first 190 pages has a traditional illustration, with further illustrations interspersed in the remaining pages. The pictures show for example men and women, with household scenes, and warriors in armour. They depict everyday domestic activities such as playing games or playing a musical instrument,

or the natural world such as landscapes, flowers, shrines, historical costumes.

This lavishly illustrated women’s encyclopaedia is part of a long tradition of such educational works produced specifically for women since the 15 century. With the commercialisation of printing and publishing they

became more extensive and versatile in content, from history, culture, poetry and moral teaching and philosophy to practical household information to aid women in their lives. In the late Edo period the

insertion of pictures, ‘eiri’ became more extensive. The illustrations were carefully designed to match the text, and the text within the picture would amplify the information.

The colour printed page inside of the back cover lists other illustrated educational books for women.

£650