illustrated book; print; book-cover | British Museum

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illustrated book; print; book-cover

Object Type: illustrated book; print; book-cover
Museum number: 1929,0731,0.11.2
Title: Object: Ehon Edo suzume 絵本江戸爵 (The Sparrows of Edo, a Picture Book)
Description: Illustrated book, woodblock print. Vol. 2 from a set of three volumes. Covers: Original, buff-coloured, printed with scattered brown 'ginkgo' leaves. Title slips: Original, printed with "Ehon Edo suzume, jo, chu, ge" in 'shin, gyo, so' scripts, pasted in top left corner of covers. Contents: (vol. 1) 9 leaves: colour-printed wrapper pasted inside the cover; 3 single pages of preface, 7 double-page illustrations, 1 single-page illustration; (vol. 2) 8 leaves: 1 single-page illustration, 7 double-page illustrations, 1 single-page illustration; (vol. 3) 7 leaves: 1 single-page illustration, 6 double-page illustrations, 1 blank single page, advertisement and publisher's colophon pasted inside back cover. With poems. Inscribed, signed and sealed.
Producer name: Print artist: Kitagawa Utamaro 喜多川歌麿; Published by: Tsutaya Juzaburo 蔦屋重三郎; Written by: Akera Kanko 朱楽菅江 (vol. 1, preface); Written by: Tegara no Okamochi 手柄岡持 (kyoka, vol. 1, New Year at Yoshiwara); Written by: Sono no Muratake 園村竹 (kyoka, vol. 1, New Year at Yoshiwara); Written by: Ki no Sadamaro 紀定麿 (kyoka, vol. 1, gathering shells at low tide at Susaki); Written by: Yugiri Magaki 夕雰籬 (kyoka, vol. 1, gathering shells at low tide at Susaki); Written by: Monono Yasouji 武士八十氏 (kyoka, vol. 1, spring shower at Yanagibashi); Written by: Sakashita Toshiyori 坂下年寄 (kyoka, vol. 1, spring shower at Yanagibashi); Written by: Kakishita Temaru 柿下手丸 (kyoka, vol. 1, iris at Mimeguri Shrine); Written by: Yaro Higezura 野老髭面 (kyoka, vol. 1, iris at Mimeguri Shrine); Written by: Shinano Zenwan Takamori 信濃膳椀高盛 (kyoka, vol. 1, restaurant at Mukojima); Written by: Imada Heyazumi 今田部屋住 (kyoka, vol. 1, restaurant at Mukojima); Written by: Ki no Sumikata 紀炭堅 (kyoka: vol. 1, New Year gifts at Sakai-cho; vol. 3, Returning from the Tori-no-ichi fair; vol. 3, Geisha House at Tachibana-cho); Written by: Akamatsu Hidenari 赤松日出成 (kyoka, vol. 1, the "Crawling Dragon" Plum Tree (Garyubai) at Katsushika); Written by: Honen Yukimaro 豊年雪麿 (kyoka, vol. 1, the "Crawling Dragon" Plum Tree (Garyubai) at Katsushika); Written by: Henna Hogaku 遍阿方岳 (kyoka, vol. 2, Seven Spring Herbs at Yoshi-cho); Written by: Tekine Kanekatsu 手杵兼勝 (kyoka, vol.2, noodle-stall at Ryogoku Bridge); Written by: Asakawa Watari 浅川和足 (kyoka, vol. 2, mosquito fumigation at a concubine's house); Written by: Kurabe Yukizumi 倉部行澄 (kyoka, vol. 2, mosquito fumigation at a concubine's house); Written by: Shirakawa Yofune 白川与布祢 (kyoka, vol.2, sushi-seller at Tori-cho); Written by: Kikuga Zanmai 菊賀三昧 (kyoka, vol.2, sushi-seller at Tori-cho); Written by: Tsurunoha Kasane 鶴羽重 (kyoka, vol. 2, party in a covered boat); Written by: Nomikuchi Hashiru 飲口波志留 (kyoka, vol. 2, party in a covered boat); Written by: Ikari Tomozuna 碇友鋼 (kyoka, vol. 2, catching fireflies at Dokan-yama); Written by: Tsuta no Hosomichi 蘿保曾進 (kyoka, vol. 2, catching fireflies at Dokan-yama); Written by: Ishikawa Masamochi 石川雅望 (as Yadoya no Meshimori 宿屋飯盛); Written by: Akatsuchi Suberu 赤土寿辺留 (kyoka, vol. 2, sumo wrestling bout); Written by: Ishigame Judonjin 石亀寿純人 (kyoka, vol. 2, customers returning home at San'ya-bori in the early morning); Written by: Ki no Mijika 紀躬鹿 (kyoka, vol. 2, customers returning home at San'ya-bori in the early morning); Written by: Arakane no Ashibiki あらかねの足引 (kyoka, vol. 2, Ushijima in autumn); Written by: Fukerai Fuyu 富家来富有 (kyoka, vol. 2, Ushijima in autumn); Written by: Isha no Koji Nanakage 医者小路七影 (kyoka, vol. 3, chrysanthemums at Sugamo); Written by: Hari no Nakazumi 梁仲墨 (kyoka, vol. 3, Shinobazu Pond in winter); Written by: Nukide Watamaru 貫出綿麿 (kyoka, vol. 3, tea-house at Asakusa during the Year End fair); Written by: Sukihara Nomikichi 数奇原飲吉 (kyoka, vol. 3, tea-house at Asakusa during the Year End fair); Written by: Sakenomi Oyaji 酒呑親父 (kyoka, vol. 3, returning from the Tori-no-ichi fair); Written by: Shishi Magohiko 子子孫彦 (kyoka, vol. 3, Geisha House at Tachibana-cho); Written by: Ogawa Machizumi (kyoka, vol. 3, old couple on their way to a commemoration for dead ancestors); Written by: Kori Karinushi 高利刈主 (kyoka, vol. 3, old couple on their way to a commemoration for dead ancestors); Written by: Sakamichi Dekoboko 坂道凸凹 (kyoka, vol. 3, entrance to the highway at Naito Shinjuku in the snow); Written by: Kuruma Nagamochi 久留間長持 (kyoka, vol. 3, Kiba in winter); Written by: Kuretake Anju 呉竹菴主 (kyoka, vol. 3, Kiba in winter)
Cultures/periods: Tenmei Era (6)
Production date: 1786 (New Year)
Production place: Published in: Edo (historic)
Materials: paper
Technique: woodblock; colour
Dimensions: Height: 21.20 centimetres; Width: 15.80 centimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: Asano and Clark 1995 The illustrations by Utamaro show famous places in the city of Edo and its environs (with the exception of "Mosquito fumigation at a concubine's house" and "Sumo wrestling bout"), with ‘kyoka’ poems inscribed above. The preface includes a reference to "Tsutata no Karamaru asking [him] to draw pictures of famous places in Edo", indicating that it was Tsutaya Juzaburo (alias Tsuta no Karamaru) who planned the project. Having obtained preparatory drawings from Utamaro, he then seems to have requested ‘kyoka’ poems to suit these, and indeed the pictures and the poems match particularly well. So Tsutaya Juzaburo should be regarded as the actual compiler of the book. Though most of the pictures show the customs at various famous places, landscapes and bird and flower compositions are also mixed in with these. The passing of the seasons is not rigidly observed, but the first volume is mainly devoted to spring and summer scenes, the second volume to summer and autumn, and the third volume to winter. The name of the artist does not appear in the volume. However, an advertisement for Tsutaya's publications pasted inside the back cover of numerous of his books at this time, the "Catalogue of Illustrated Books Stocked by Koshodo" (Koshodo zohan ehon mokuroku), includes the item "Ehon Edo suzume — drawn by Kitagawa Utamaro" (Ehon Edo suzume, Kitagawa Utamaro ga). Moreover, the style leaves no doubt that the book is by him. Inside the front cover of the copy of the book in the collection of the British Museum has been pasted the original colour-printed wrapper (see colour plates). There is a later reprinting of this title in which all the dates have been carved out. Also, in 1797 an edition was published by the Osaka firms of Akashiya Ihachi and Izumiya Genshichi who had acquired the blocks. Concerning these later editions, see Otaka 1928 and Suzuki 1979. Literature: ‘Nikon fuzoku zue 日本風俗図絵’, Kurokawa, Mamichi ed., vol. 12, Nihon fuzoku zue kanko-kai, 1915. Otaka, Sennosuke 尾高鮮之助, "Utamaro no kibyoshi ko, 1-3 歌麿の黄表紙考（一）~（三）", ‘Mizue みづゑ’, pp. 275-277, 1928, 6-8. Ryerson, 1931, 219-220. ‘Kokusho somokuroku 国書総目録’, vol. 1, Iwanami Shoten, Tokyo, 1963-72, 490. Suzuki, Juzo 鈴木重三, ‘Kinsei Nihon fuzoku ehon shusei: Ehon Edo suzume 近世日本風俗絵本集成・絵本江戸爵’, Rinsen Shoten, Tokyo, 1979. Hillier, Jack, ‘The Art of the Japanese Book’, Sotheby's Publications, London, 1987, 408. Other copies: The Art Institute of Chicago. Kagawa University 香川大学. National Diet Library 国立国会図書館. The New York Public Library. Ota Memorial Museum of Art 太田記念美術館, Tokyo. Toyo Bunko 東洋文庫, Tokyo. Tokyo Municipal Central Library 東京都立中央図書館. Tokyo National Museum 東京国立博物館. Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music 東京藝術大学. [Main text translated in Japanese below / 以下上記本文日本語訳] 浅野／クラーク　1995 江戸市中並びに江戸近郊の名所を描いた歌麿の絵（「妾宅の蚊遣」や「相撲」のような例外もある）の上部に狂歌を記したもの。序文に「都多唐丸江都の名勝を図せしめて」とあるとおり、蔦唐丸こと蔦屋重三郎が企画し、歌麿の版下絵を得た後、狂歌を依頼したとみえ、絵と狂歌はよく一致している。実質の編集は蔦屋重三郎と考えるべきであろう。名所風俗画が中心であるが、風景画・花鳥画も混じる。上巻は春・夏、中巻は夏・秋、下巻は冬の情景となっているが、四季の推移は必ずしも厳密ではない。絵師の書名はないが、寛政はじめの蔦屋の出版物の巻末広告である、「耕書堂蔵板絵本目録」に、「絵本江戸爵　喜多川歌麿画　三冊」とあること及び画風より歌麿画であることは疑う余地がない。大英博物館蔵品の上巻見返しには、本書の包紙（彩色摺）が貼付されている（カラー図版参照）。本書には年記部分が削除された後摺本がある。また、寛政9年に、大坂の明石屋伊八並びに和泉屋源七から求版本が刊行されているが、これらについては参考文献の尾高氏及び鈴木氏の論考に譲る。
Bibliographic references: Asano & Clark 1995 / The Passionate Art of Kitagawa Utamaro (459)
Location: Not on display
Exhibition history: 2016 January –2016 April, London, BM Japanese Galleries, 'Japan from Prehistory to the Present'
Subjects: fuzoku
Associated places: Topographic representation of: Asakusa; Topographic representation of: Shinjuku-ku; Topographic representation of: Shinobazu-ike; Topographic representation of: Yoshiwara; Topographic representation of: Yanagi-bashi
Acquisition name: Purchased from: Charles Vignier
Acquisition date: 1929
Department: Asia
Registration number: 1929,0731,0.11.2
Additional IDs: Japanese Illustrated Book number: JIB.136
Conservation: Treatment: 08 Dec 2015