Ehon Makuzugahara - Nishikawa Sukenobu - 1759

“18th Century Ukiyo-e ehon from the Kyoto school’

"Ehon Makuzugahara"

-Nishikawa Sukenobu (1671-1750)

-Published by Kikuya Kihei, Osaka in Horeki 9 (1759)

-2 volumes (of 3) - 24pp and 26pp

-Size 22 x 16cm. 

-Condition - Later wrappers with one binding loose. Some stains and foxing.

This is an early book by Nishikawa Sukenobu entitled Ehon Makuzugahara – “The book of Makuzugahara” (a place in Kyoto)

Sukenobu (1671-1750) was trained under both Chinese (Kano) and Japanese (Tosa) artistic schools and became an important Ukiyo-e artist based in Kyoto. He produced ehon of Kimono designs and classical landscapes, but was most celebrated for his images of women undertaking their daily lives.

Illustrations from this work follow traditional Japanese themes and inspired lacquer works such as a writing box now at the British museum.

This book displays images of silk worm, fireflies around a boat, a woman making up her hair, frogs and crickets, as well as scenes in aethereal Japanese landscapes.