[Rarebooks] OFFER: MAJOR JAPANESE ILLUSTRATED BOOK.

[Laderman]

MATORA, OISHI, Artist: MASAYOSHI, OZAKI Author: HYAKUNIN - ISSHU HITOYO 
GATARI [ONE EVENING'S TALK ON THE HYAKUNIN ISSU]. IX Volumes, Tempo 4 
(1833). 25.8 x 18.2 cm. I-3, 51 sheets; II.54 sheets; III. 55 sheets' IV. 
54 sheets; V. 55 sheets; VI. 47 sheets; VII53 sheets; VIII 51 sheets; IX. 
62 sheets.  Closing note, so dated signed Nagato no Suke Kageki [no seal]. 
Last page notes the engravers Inoue Jihei and Higuchi Yohei [of Kyoto] with 
the names of 15 booksellers in most of the larger cities. The publisher is 
noted in the colophon as Tsuragaya Kyubei, Osaka. Oishi Matora's signature 
in the colophon is sealed Ayuchi Gun Kokyo. Rather than being a printing of 
this classical work it is a discussion of it, freely rendered. The 
illustrations are meant to relate to both the text of the poem and also to 
the text of the discussion. Most of these involve figure compositions, 
often, in historical clothing. Matora was a well of knowledge about 
historical clothing, tools and practices. These, blended with his free 
drawing style are most appropriate for this book in which a great classic 
work of times past is discussed freely. Matora's style varies from a more 
conventional style through to that bold sketch style in which he competed 
with Bumpo. Each volume has at least 12 sheets of illustrations.All are 
present and accounted for. Our artist began as a student of Gessho, a 
provincial genius of the Shijo style and then later studied Tosa style on 
his own. His work was included in Meika Gafu, the defining collection of 
work of the finest living classical school artists, issued in 1814. 
Stockholm, 3; Mitchell Pp. 305-306; In Brown P. 110 [Noted as Hyakunin Issu 
Iseka]; Kokusho So Mokuroku, 53598. This is only the third copy in Western 
hands. Original covers with figured decoration in white on blue, later 
title slips. The rear cover of volume 7 has been replaced, OW near Fine 
without worming or stains. $2575.00

ZITA BOOKS / NEW YORK, N.Y. / G. LADERMAN
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