KEISAI RYAKU GA SHIKI:SIMPLIFIED FORMS OF PAINTING BY KEISAI[Alternate English T

KEISAI, Kitao.

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Edo 1799, Suwahara. Stitched wrs., covers rubbed, soiled, contents clean and solid, 31 double folded leaves [62p.], large size:18 x 26 cm.,62 colored woodlbock illustrations, back cover present, its paper covering gone. *** *** *** . . JAPANESE DRAWING MADE SIMPLY BY AN OLD MASTER . . . WHO WAS THE ARTIST KEISAI KITAO [1764-1824: Kitao aka. by studio names: Kuwagata Keisai et al., was a celebrated Ukiyo-e painter, printmaker and illustrator born in Suruga province. He was also the star pupil of Kitao Shigemasa, and worked until 1797 as an Ukiyo-e artist under the 'Go' or studio name of Kitao Masayoshi, designing numerous prints & and illustrating books. . *. In 1797 Keisai became the official painter to the Daimyo of Tsuyama, he was also given some training by Kano Eisen'in. He took his grandmother's name of Kuwagata and then began to work in the Kano school style. Eventually retired and became a lay monk. He is known for his subtle and tender lines, his prints of lowers done with delicacy. His work is charming, expressing innocence and with remarkable delicacy and softness. . * The current work is a collection of his color drawings of mostly human figures with a sprinkling of a few animals. Hokusai was influenced by his unique style, which found its way into the his famous series title: HOKUSAI MANGA. These caricature are done with naive innocence, with a dash of fun intended, and some irony. The work shows a great diversity in his ability to draw and perceive the Japanese people of the late 18th century. Delicately pastel colored, revealing his zest for life. A wide variety and large number of his quaint drawings are presented in this book. A delight to behold ! For a companion volume in the same style on animals, birds, fish, insects, please inquire for his CHOJU RYAKU GASHIKI. . *** BIBLIOGRAPHY: This famous work has been highly collected over the last 200 years by the most famous libraries, collectors & world museums. This title is cited in most of the standard bibliographies. [see below]. . Most cite the date as 1795 however our copy clearly states: Kansei 11th year, being 1799. It is possible that some bibliographers are citing the preface date. Ours clearly has a dated colophon of publication date. . To some bibliographers, there is some confusion between the First edition and later editions, which bear alternate titles: KEISAI RYAKUGA-SHIKI & JIMBUTSU RYAKUGA-SHIKI. . *** REFERENCES: * C.H. Mitchell: THE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS OF THE NANGA, MARUYAMA, SHIJO AND OTHER RELATED SCHOOLS OF JAPAN, p.453. He wrongly cites Toda: 210, with a different title: JIMBUTSU RYAKUGA SHIKI. * H. Kerlen: CATALOGUE OF PRE-MEIJI JAPANESE BOOKS AND MAPS IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS, p.553-4, #1351, cites 1795 date. * K. Toda: THE RYERSON COLLECTION OF JAPANESE AND CHINESE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS, p.215, he cites an later 1856 edition, a reprint., & p.210. * L. Dawes: CATALOGUE OF JAPANESE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS. p.99. item E.2514-1925 seems to be the same as the one cited in Toda, but inaccurately thinks this is volume 3 of a set. * Louise Brown: BLOCK PRINTING & BOOK ILLUTRATION IN JAPAN cites on p.124 two separate entries for a book with this title: first states 1795 "Rare;" second cites what looks like a reprint: ".2 small volumes, not dated ca. 1809- 1810 colors." * Roberts: DICTIONARY OF JAPANESE ARTISTS p.75 does solve this mystery by noting that one of Keisai's studio names is also Kitao Masayoshi, as per Chibbett. Keisai was a pupil of Kitao Shigemasa a famous natural history painter of birds, flowers & animals. A skillful painter in the Kano style, who later retired to become a Buddhist monk. * KSM: 8-47-1 * KRAFT vol. 3, no. 556. * Corbin 399 with title: Keisai Ryakuga-shiki * Duret 179 * Haviland [xviii] 582, 97 quoting the wrong title: JIMBUTSU RYAKUGA-SHIKI, which is an entirely different book. * Hayashi 1557. According to him, some later issues bore the titles KEISAI RYAKUGA-SHIKI & JIMBUTSU RYAKUGA-SHIKI, * Hubert 39 * Javal [I]. Seller Inventory # 23004901

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Title: KEISAI RYAKU GA SHIKI:SIMPLIFIED FORMS OF ...