A Garden of Celebrated Japanese and Chinese Paintings (Wakan meigaen} 和漢名画苑

1750

Not on view

Shunboku was a predominantly self-taught painter and entrepreneur, best known for the various series of woodblock-printed books in which he reproduced Chinese and Japanese paintings by famous artists. These multi-volume ehon, or picture books, served as manuals to artists like Itō Jakuchū (1716–1800) and Kimura Kenkadō (1736–1802), the latter of whom was also a well-known collector. Shunboku’s books stimulated their interest in China’s Ming-dynasty painters, some of whose compositions could be found in the collections of Japanese monasteries and were thus accessible for study.

This set of six volumes shows that Shunboku wished to disseminate images of Japanese masterworks as well as Chinese. It includes reproductions of kasen-e—imaginary portraits of poets like Kakinomoto no Hitomaro and Ono no Komachi—by Tosa school artists, scenes from The Tale of Genji (Genji monogatari), and illustrations from the Tales of Ise (Ise monogatari) attributed to Tosa Mitsuoki (1617–1691).

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

大岡春卜画『和漢名画苑』
Title: A Garden of Celebrated Japanese and Chinese Paintings (Wakan meigaen} 和漢名画苑
Artist: Ooka Shunboku 大岡春卜 (1680–1763)
Period:
Edo period (1615–1868)
Date: 1750
Culture: Japan
Medium: Set of six woodblock-printed books bound as one, with additional volume; ink on paper
Dimensions: 10 3/16 × 7 3/16 in. (25.8 × 18.2 cm)
10 3/16 × 7 1/16 in. (25.8 × 18 cm)
Classification: Illustrated Books
Credit Line: Purchase, Mary and James G. Wallach Foundation Gift, 2013
Object Number: 2013.817a–g
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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Ooka Shunboku 大岡春卜

1734

Night Rain at the Double-Shelf Stand, from the series Eight Parlor Views (Zashiki hakkei), Suzuki Harunobu Japanese, Woodblock print (first edition); ink and colors on paper, medium-sized print (chuban), Japan — Night Rain at the Double-Shelf Stand, from the series Eight Parlor Views (Zashiki hakkei)
Suzuki Harunobu
ca. 1766

Jizō Bosatsu Playing a Flute, Kano Tan'yū Japanese, Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper, Japan — Jizō Bosatsu Playing a Flute
Kano Tan'yū
mid-17th century

Goose and Reeds; Willows in the Moonlight, Maruyama Ōkyo 円山応挙 Japanese, Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color and gold on paper, Japan — Goose and Reeds; Willows in the Moonlight
Maruyama Ōkyo 円山応挙
right screen: 1774; left screen: 1793

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